Putin: “We are against the deployment of nuclear weapons in space”

Russian President Vladimir Putin said, “We have always been categorically against the deployment of nuclear weapons in space, and we still are.” After the Russian army seized the city of Avdiivka in the Donetsk region of Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu met at the Kremlin Palace. Responding to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s statement ordering Ukrainian troops to withdraw, Putin said, “When Zelensky ordered the troops to withdraw, the soldiers were already fleeing.”

Putin stated that the victory in the city of Avdiivka needs to be further expanded, saying, “This success needs to be further developed. These steps need to be secured with personnel, weapons, equipment, and ammunition.”

“We are against the deployment of nuclear weapons in space”
Addressing claims in the US media that “Russia plans to deploy nuclear weapons in space,” Putin said, “Our position is clear and transparent. We have always been categorically against the deployment of nuclear weapons in space, and we still are. We have repeatedly proposed not only compliance with all existing agreements in this area but also strengthening joint efforts.”

“They want to scare senators and congress members to ensure the collection of funds”
Shoigu reiterated that they are not involved in such an operation, saying, “They know this very well. However, they are still making noise. They want to scare senators and congress members to ensure the collection of funds, not only for Ukraine but also to strategically defeat Russia.”

Claims of Russia deploying nuclear weapons in space
Following US House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Turner’s recent mention of a “serious national security threat,” news reports in the US media claimed that “Russia plans to deploy nuclear weapons in space.” US National Security Council Strategic Communications Coordinator John Kirby stated that the national security threat in question is a technology related to Russia’s ability to target developed satellites, avoiding a direct answer as to whether this system would be considered nuclear weapons or nuclear capability. Kirby said, “Firstly, this is not a deployed active capability. While Russia’s pursuit of this capability is concerning, there is no immediate threat to anyone’s security. We are not talking about a weapon that could be used to attack people or cause physical destruction on Earth.”