MOSCOW – Russia has raised objections to US President Donald Trump’s callto militarise space exploration by creating a separate branch of themilitary called a ‘Space Force’.
Russian foreign minister Maria Zakharova Wednesday said that Russia “notedthe US president’s instructions… to separate space forces from the airforce,” saying “the most alarming thing about this news is the aim of hisinstructions, namely to ensure (US) domination in space,” news agency AFPreported.Play Video48s
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Zakharova expressed concern that the US is “nurturing plans to bring outweapons into space with the aim of possibly staging military action there”.She also warned that after US military build-up sets in space, it wouldhave a “destabilising effect on strategic stability and internationalsecurity”.ADVERTISEMENT
While Russia has a branch of the military called “space forces,” theiractivities are “purely defensive,” she stressed.
Trump on Monday had said at a speech in the White House that “America willalways be the first in space” and he won’t like being led by Russia andChina along with countries.
If the purported “Space Force” plan comes to reality, it would become thesixth branch of the American military. However, this would requireCongressional approval to take effect.