, updated
Russia yesterday vetoed a UN resolution calling on all nations to prevent a dangerous nuclear arms race in outer space, sparking fears Moscow may be gearing up for a catastrophic cosmic escalation.
The resolution would have called on all countries not to develop or deploy nuclear arms or other weapons of mass destruction in space, as banned under a 1967 international treaty that included the US and Russia.
Russia opposed the resolution, while China abstained, meaning the resolution did not pass despite the support of 13 other nations.
Vladimir Putin has previously said he has no intention of deploying nuclear weapons in space – but Moscow’s refusal to green-light the resolution has led Western lawmakers to question the Kremlin’s true intentions.
Russia’s UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia dismissed the resolution as ‘absolutely absurd and politicised,’ and said it didn’t go far enough in banning all types of weapons.
But US Ambassador …