After West criticism, Russia says anti-satellite missile test poses ‘no threat’

At a meeting with EU defence ministers, Nato clerk-general Stoltenberg said theanti-satellite bullet test “ demonstrates that Russia is now developing new armament systems that can shoot down satellites.” 

After drawing review over theanti-satellite bullet test, Russian defence minister Sergei Shoigu said that the fractions generated from it “ do not pose any trouble to space conditioning”. US, Britain and Nato had said that the debris field in low- Earth route generated by theanti-missile test was dangerous for ringing spacecraft and would pose a hazard to space conditioning for times. 

“The fractions that formed don’t pose any trouble to space conditioning,”Shoigu said, as quoted by Russian news agencies. 

Theanti-satellite bullet test destroyed Russian spacecraft‘Tselina-D’ which had been in the route since 1982, according to the Russian defence ministry. Shoigu said that the test used a “ promising” system that “ directly” hit its target. Russia cited Washington’s move to establish a space force in 2020 as a reason to beef up its defence capabilities in space. 

“The Russian Ministry of Defence successfully conducted a test onNov. 15 that hit thenon-operational Russian spacecraft Tselina-D, which had been in route since 1982,”the defence ministry said in a statement. 

 Debris from Russian space bullet test puts ISS crew in peril 

The test drew wrath from the West, with Nato clerk-general Jens Stoltenberg calling it a “ reckless” and “ concerning” act. At a meeting with EU defence ministers, Stoltenberg said theanti-satellite bullet test “ demonstrates that Russia is now developing new armament systems that can shoot down satellites.” 

France labelled Russia as “ space defacers” for producing dangerous quantities of debris. 

US clerk of state Antony Blinken said that the debris would continue to hang satellites and conditioning on the International Space Station which presently has seven crew members on board. 

The space station has faced frequent issues in recent times, including the bank alarm incident in the Russian module of the ISS in September. Russia has indicated to leave the space station after 2025 and launch its own orbital station given the frequent issues with the ISS.