Russia's Defence Minister Confirms Russia Succesfully Tested Anti-Satellite System

Earlier in the day, the Russian Defence Ministry said that Russia has successfully conducted a test on 15 November, hitting an inoperative Russian satellite, Tselina-D.

Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu confirmed that Russia had successfully tested an anti-satellite system.

“We have really successfully tested a promising system. It has hit an old satellite precisely,” Shoigu said, answering journalists' questions during a working trip to the troops of the Western Military District in the Voronezh region.

The fragments of the old satellite, which formed during the testing of the anti-satellite system, do not pose any threat to space activities, Sergei Shoigu added.

Earlier in the day, the Russian Ministry of Defence said that the United States has been well aware that the fragments of the downed satellite pose no threat to the ISS or other space assets, given the test's timing and orbital parameters.

The fragments have been immediately added to the main catalogue of the Russian space control system and will be tracked until they cease to exist, the ministry added.