Chinese and Russian officials expressed dissatisfaction after the U.S. acknowledged it has deployed weapons in Earth's orbit, with China warning against turning space into a battlefield.
On Tuesday, 15 Sep 2026 GMT+7, Chinese and Russian authorities strongly responded after the U.S. confirmed for the first time that it has installed weapons systems in Earth's orbit. China warned to be cautious about turning space into a battlefield, while Russia called for space to remain free of all weapons.
Earlier, a U.S. Space Force spokesperson confirmed that the U.S. possesses space control weapons in orbit to protect its forces from enemy attacks, including both kinetic measures and non-kinetic ones such as lasers that disable satellite optics or electromagnetic and cyber jamming.
The U.S. justified this by citing that both China and Russia have developed space warfare capabilities to prepare for future conflicts, necessitating U.S. readiness.
However, Guo Jiakun, spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, urged the U.S. to stop expanding its military capabilities and preparations for war in space.
Meanwhile, Dmitry Peskov, Kremlin government spokesperson for Russia, called for international cooperation toward complete disarmament in space.
Military analyst Song Zhongping said that although Washington's disclosure was a "widely known secret," the timing of the announcement could escalate tensions and accelerate an arms race in space.
Furthermore, China will not remain passive; the U.S. revelation about arming space could pressure China to consider deploying weapons in space as a countermeasure.
The 1967 Outer Space Treaty only prohibits the placement of "weapons of mass destruction and nuclear weapons" in orbit but does not cover conventional weapons, creating a legal loophole.
China and Russia have been pushing for a treaty banning all types of weapons in space for over 20 years, while Western countries emphasize a "responsible behavior framework." This issue is expected to be raised at the United Nations disarmament meeting in November.
. cna