Russia says space 'must be free from any weapon'

Russia called Tuesday for weapons to be kept out of space, after the US Space Force confirmed it had deployed "on-orbit space control weapons" for the first time.

"We believe that space must be free of any weapon," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

"We are counting on broad international consolidation to continue working toward the complete demilitarisation of space," he added.

Russia's ally China also on Tuesday slammed Washington's move, and urged the United States to "stop preparing for war in outer space".

The United States confirmed on Monday it had weapons deployed for the first time.

"The US has on-orbit space control weapons capable of defending the Joint Force against hostile adversary action," a US Space Force spokesperson said in a statement that did not provide specifics on the weapons.

"Space control encapsulates the mission areas required to contest and control the space domain -- employing kinetic and non-kinetic means to affect adversary capabilities," the statement said, adding that "these capabilities can be employed for offensive and defensive purposes."

The 1967 Outer Space Treaty -- to which the United States, Russia and China are all parties -- bans the deployment of nuclear weapons in space, but is not a blanket ban on military activity.