MOSCOW, May 22. /TASS/. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov rejected as fake news the Pentagon’s claim that Russia launched a counter space weapon, noting that Moscow was against placing strike capabilities in near-Earth orbit.

"I don’t think that we should respond to any fake news injected by Washington," the senior Russian diplomat told reporters, replying to a corresponding question.

"We have always spoken consistently against placing attack weapons in near-Earth orbit. It is not accidental that Russia together with a whole number of other states promotes the initiative of not placing weapons in space first," he added.

Russia continues developing its space program in a planned manner, he pointed out.

"The launch of satellites of various designation, including those that deal with strengthening our defense capability is not news either," Ryabkov said.

"That is why, the Americans can say whatever they like and our policy will not change from that. And if they were really interested in strengthening security, including in space activity, they could reconsider their destructive approach to a series of Russian proposals in this sphere. This primarily applies to our proposal to work out a treaty on preventing an arms race in outer space," the high-ranking Russian diplomat said.