The United States has sharply condemned Russia over what it said was an anti-satellite missile test carried out Monday. State Department spokesperson Ned Price said the missile targeted one of Russia’s own satellites. He said the resulting explosion created more than 1,500 pieces of orbital debris large enough to track, plus hundreds of thousands of smaller objects that pose a risk to satellites and astronauts. 

Ned Price: “Russia’s dangerous and irresponsible behavior jeopardizes the long-term sustainability of outer space and clearly demonstrates that Russia’s claims of opposing the weaponization of space are disingenuous and hypocritical.”

This comes as the U.S., Russia and China continue to test new hypersonic missiles capable of flying through low Earth orbit to deliver nuclear warheads.