THE UNITED NATIONS, February 26. /TASS/. Russia and Sierra Leone signed on Thursday the joint statement on No First Placement of Weapons in Outer Space. According to the Russian Permanent Mission in the United Nations, the statement on behalf of their countries was signed by Russia's Permanent Representative to the UN Vasily Nebenzya and head of the Sierra Leone mission Alie Kabba.

According to the statement of the Russian permanent mission, such joint statements are the only measure of transparency and trust in this area to date. "It contributes to ensuring equal and indivisible security for all, and increases predictability and sustainability of the activities of states in the exploration and use of outer space for peaceful purposes," the statement said.

To date, similar obligations have also been noted in joint statements with Argentina, Armenia, Belarus, Bolivia, Brazil, Burundi, Venezuela, Vietnam, Guatemala, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Cambodia, Cuba, Kyrgyzstan, Nicaragua, Pakistan, Suriname, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Uruguay, Sri Lanka, and Ecuador.