MOSCOW, November 28. /TASS/. The United States and its allies have taken to using commercial satellites to support foreign combat operations in "testing" out a new way of toppling governments, said a senior Russian diplomat.

"We are seeing a growing trend where the United States and its allies use commercial satellites and the corresponding ground-based infrastructure, originally declared as civilian purpose systems, to support the combat operations of foreign troops and meddle in the internal affairs of sovereign nations," said Sergey Belousko, who heads the Department for Nonproliferation and Arms Control at the Russian Foreign Ministry. "In effect, we are witnessing a new model of provoking internal conflicts and toppling governments which do not fit into the so called rules-based world order," the diplomat said, addressing a conference on the political aspects of the practical use of space technology.

According to the Russian diplomat, this poses "major risks to the security of commercial transactions and long-term sustainability of space activity."

"This is fraught with negative consequences for multiple social and economic processes on Earth that directly hinge on space technology," Belousko emphasized as he said that the goals of sustainable development, approved by the United Nations General Assembly, were at stake.

Meanwhile, Russia is seeking constructive cooperation with all interested players in the space industry, he added. "We welcome any initiatives and projects aimed at exploring the use of space for the sake of the entire international community rather than individual players," Belousko concluded.