Russia vetoed a resolution at the UN Security Council proposed jointly by the United States and Japan, which would have affirmed the commitment of treaty member states to refrain from placing nuclear weapons in orbit around Earth, according to the US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan.
He said that the resolution also called on all member states not to develop nuclear weapons specifically designed for deployment in orbit.
"Placement by a State Party of a nuclear weapon in orbit would not only violate the Outer Space Treaty, but would threaten the vital communications, scientific, meteorological, agricultural, commercial, and national security services that any and all satellites provide to societies around the globe," Sullivan said.
He added that the United States believes Russia is developing a new satellite carrying a nuclear device.
"We have heard President Putin say publicly that Russia has no intention of deploying nuclear weapons in space. If that were the case, Russia would not have vetoed this resolution," he said.
UN resolution
Ahead of the UN meeting, Russia exercised its veto power on a resolution urging all countries to prevent a nuclear arms race in outer space.
Thirteen out of fifteen countries voted in favor of the document. Russia opposed it, while China abstained.
Meanwhile, Russia's representative at the UN called the resolution on nuclear weapons in space politicized.