US accuses Russia of conducting anti-satellite missile test, says debris forced ISS astronauts to take shelter

The US has accused Moscow of conducting an anti-satellite missile test against one of its own satellites and stressed that it created over 1,500 pieces of trackable orbital debris, forcing astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) to temporarily take shelter.

"Earlier today, the Russian Federation recklessly conducted a destructive satellite test of a direct-ascent, anti-satellite missile against one of its own satellites," Time magazine quoted US State Department's spokesperson Ned Price as saying on Monday (local time).

"Russian Federation's reckless test of a direct-ascent anti-satellite missile that has created over 1,500 pieces of trackable orbital debris and hundreds of thousands of pieces of smaller orbital debris that now threaten the interests of all nations," Price added.

He termed it "Russia's dangerous and irresponsible behaviour" and said that the action "jeopardizes the long-term sustainability of our outer space".

The spokesperson emphasised that Russia's action "clearly demonstrates" that Moscow's claims of "opposing the weapons and weaponization of space are disingenuous and hypocritical".

Calling Russia's action an irresponsible act, US Department of Defence's spokesperson John Kirby said that the action has indicated a troubling trend.

He emphasised that the US watches "closely the kinds of capabilities that Russia seems to develop, which could pose a threat, not just to our national security interest, but the security of other space-faring nations."

( With inputs from ANI )