WASHINGTON, April 9. /TASS/. Russia's upgrade of its strategic weapons, especially the development of hypersonic missiles, puts at risk the US security, according to a joint statement by US Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall, US Space Force Chief of Space Operations General Chance Saltzman and US Air Force Chief of Staff General David Allvin.

"Russia continues to place a strong emphasis on modernizing strategic weapons that will allow it to hold the United States homeland at risk, particularly with hypersonic and other next-generation weapons. Russia is developing and deploying a range of counterspace systems including surface-launched, air-launched, and orbital anti-satellite weapons, laser weapons, electronic warfare systems, and cyber capabilities that can threaten military and dual-use space assets," they said at a hearing at the US Senate Committee on Appropriations.

According to Kendall, Saltzman and Allvin, the US administration’s budget request of $188.1 bln for the next fiscal year starting in October includes the modernization of nuclear deterrence programs. They said the budget request was driven by an "acute Russian threat."

In February, the US government, including President Joe Biden, leveled unsubstantiated accusations against Russia, alleging it considered deploying nuclear weapons in space. Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters dismissed the accusations as another White House ploy. Russian President Vladimir Putin said at a meeting with Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu that Moscow "has always been categorically against and is now against the deployment of nuclear weapons in space."

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said in late February that it is unadvisable from all perspectives to deploy nuclear weapons in outer space. The official said existing delivery systems for such weapons are quite sufficient.