Moscow, Jan 31 (IANS): Washington's latest decisions on the development of a new missile defence system won't help reduce tensions with Moscow, the Russian Foreign Ministry said Friday.
US President Donald Trump signed an executive order Monday on the development of a new missile defence system for the country. The Iron Dome missile defence shield would protect against ballistic, hypersonic, advanced cruise missiles and other aerial attacks.
During her weekly briefing, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova said that this initiative essentially reaffirms the US intension to pursue the militarization of space, noting that the decision involves a significant expansion of the American nuclear arsenal.
"It directly envisages a significant strengthening of the American nuclear arsenal and means for conducting combat operations in space, including the development and deployment of space-based interception systems," she said.
"We consider this as yet another confirmation of the US focus on turning space into an arena for armed confrontation," she further said, Xinhua news agency reported.
Zakharova warned that the initiative would also hinder potential dialogue on strategic offensive arms, noting that this measure is the first sign of Washington's destabilizing plans for the development of its military-technical programmes.
Moscow on Friday also confirmed that three Russians were among the 67 victims of the deadly plane crash that took place in the United States on Wednesday night.
A US passenger jet carrying 64 people crashed into the Potomac River after a mid-air collision with a US Army Black Hawk helicopter, the worst US air disaster since 2001.
The American Eagle Flight 5342 was carrying 60 passengers and four members of the crew while the US Army Black Hawk helicopter had three service members.
"We express our sincere condolences to their families and all Americans. As has already been confirmed, our compatriots were on board the airliner, including world champions in pair figure skating on the Russian national team Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, as well as Soviet figure skater Inna Volyanskaya, who worked in the United States as coaches. The American athletes flying with them also died," said Zakharova during an off-site media briefing in Saransk, Mordovia.
"As stated by the American side, there are no survivors in this plane crash. Three victims of this plane crash, according to information from our Embassy, ??have Russian passports. With regard to another person, the fourth, there is an understanding that there could have been a Russian passport - this information is currently being checked," Zakharova added.
The spokesperson stated that the Russian Embassy in the United States is in contact with the US State Department on the whole range of issues on the tragic accident.