Russia says outer space “must be free from any weapon” after condemning what it describes as US deployment of space weapons on or in orbit. Moscow calls for the “complete demilitarisation” of space, arguing for stronger limits on military activity there. China also condemns the move and urges the United States to stop “preparing for war in outer space.”
Both outlets cite the legal and political context for the dispute. The 1967 Outer Space Treaty bans nuclear weapons in space but allows military activities, creating room for competing interpretations of what is permissible. While Russia frames the issue as weaponization of space, Washington’s position, as described in the reporting, is that the newly deployed systems can serve both offensive and defensive purposes. The disagreement therefore centers on intent and use, not only on whether activity is strictly prohibited under existing treaty language.
