Russia vetos UN resolution to prevent nuclear arms race in space

Russian Permanent Representative to the UN Vassily Nebenzia raises his hand to veto the Non-proliferation of nuclear weapons UN Security Council resolution bill which would have called on nations to prevent an arms race in space. Photograph: Eduardo Muñoz/AP

Russia has vetoed a UN security council resolution calling on all nations to prevent a dangerous nuclear arms race in outer space, describing it as “a dirty spectacle”.

The resolution, sponsored by the United States and Japan, would have called on all countries not to develop or deploy nuclear arms or other weapons of mass destruction in space, which are already banned under a 1967 international treaty.