China warns against space ‘battlefield’ after US says weapons deployed

The U.S. Space Force publicly confirmed for the first time that Washington has weapons deployed in orbit, without disclosing their number or type, prompting China and Russia to denounce the militarization of space.

China's foreign ministry accused the U.S. of turning space into a battlefield, while the Kremlin called for keeping orbit free of weapons entirely. Analysts noted the capability was long assumed but said the timing of the public admission could accelerate an arms race lacking any real legal framework beyond the 1967 Outer Space Treaty's narrow ban on weapons of mass destruction.

A space law expert said the announcement will likely boost Russian and Chinese efforts toward a treaty restricting weapons in orbit, a push Western states have resisted in favor of vaguer 'responsible behavior' norms.

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