MOSCOW, February 20. /TASS/. Russia has always been strongly against the deployment of nuclear weapons in space and is now against it, its position is clear and transparent, President Vladimir Putin said at a meeting with Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu.

"This concerns the fuss that has been made recently in the West, including in the United States, regarding the deployment of nuclear weapons in space. Our position is clear and transparent: we have always been strongly against and are now against the deployment of nuclear weapons in space," Putin said.

Putin expressed bewilderment that the West raised the topic of Russia's alleged plans to deploy nuclear weapons in space.

"On the contrary, we call for compliance not only with all agreements that exist in this area, but also proposed to strengthen this joint work," he said.

"But now for some reason they are raising this topic in the West again and on such a fairly high emotional note," the head of state noted.