<p>Russia's defence ministry on Tuesday admitted to destroying one of its satellites during a missile test, confirming accusations levied earlier by the United States.</p>.<p>"The Russian defence ministry successfully conducted a test, as a result of which the Russian spacecraft 'Tselina-D', which had been in orbit since 1982, was destroyed," the military said in a statement.</p>.<p>US officials on Monday denounced Russia for conducting a "dangerous and irresponsible" missile test that blew up one of its own satellites, creating a debris cloud that threatened the International Space Station.</p>.<p>NASA said that the crew aboard the ISS -- currently, four Americans, a German and two Russians -- were woken up and forced to take shelter in their returnships.</p>.<p>US officials said they were not informed in advance of the anti-satellite missile test -- only the fourth ever to hit a spacecraft from the ground -- which generated over 1,500 pieces of trackable orbital debris.</p>.<p>The Russian military said that it was carrying out planned activities to strengthen its defence capabilities but denied that the test was dangerous.</p>.<p>"The United States knows for certain that the resulting fragments, in terms of test time and orbital parameters, did not and will not pose a threat to orbital stations, spacecraft and space activities," it said.</p>.<p>The confirmation of the US claims came moments after Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov had dismissed them.</p>.<p>"To declare that the Russian Federation creates risks for the peaceful use of space is, at the very least, hypocrisy," Lavrov told a press conference in Moscow, adding that "there are no facts" behind the claims.</p>.<p>Russia's move reignited concerns about a growing arms race in space, encompassing everything from laser weapons to satellites capable of shunting others out of orbit.</p>.<p><strong>Watch the latest DH Videos here:</strong></p>
<p>Russia's defence ministry on Tuesday admitted to destroying one of its satellites during a missile test, confirming accusations levied earlier by the United States.</p>.<p>"The Russian defence ministry successfully conducted a test, as a result of which the Russian spacecraft 'Tselina-D', which had been in orbit since 1982, was destroyed," the military said in a statement.</p>.<p>US officials on Monday denounced Russia for conducting a "dangerous and irresponsible" missile test that blew up one of its own satellites, creating a debris cloud that threatened the International Space Station.</p>.<p>NASA said that the crew aboard the ISS -- currently, four Americans, a German and two Russians -- were woken up and forced to take shelter in their returnships.</p>.<p>US officials said they were not informed in advance of the anti-satellite missile test -- only the fourth ever to hit a spacecraft from the ground -- which generated over 1,500 pieces of trackable orbital debris.</p>.<p>The Russian military said that it was carrying out planned activities to strengthen its defence capabilities but denied that the test was dangerous.</p>.<p>"The United States knows for certain that the resulting fragments, in terms of test time and orbital parameters, did not and will not pose a threat to orbital stations, spacecraft and space activities," it said.</p>.<p>The confirmation of the US claims came moments after Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov had dismissed them.</p>.<p>"To declare that the Russian Federation creates risks for the peaceful use of space is, at the very least, hypocrisy," Lavrov told a press conference in Moscow, adding that "there are no facts" behind the claims.</p>.<p>Russia's move reignited concerns about a growing arms race in space, encompassing everything from laser weapons to satellites capable of shunting others out of orbit.</p>.<p><strong>Watch the latest DH Videos here:</strong></p>