US Missile Defense Plan Will Escalate, Not Ease, Tensions with Moscow: Russian Foreign Ministry

US President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Monday for the development of a new missile defense system for the country.

Washington's latest decisions regarding the development of a new missile defense system won’t help reduce tensions with Moscow, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Friday.

US President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Monday for the development of a new missile defense system for the country. The Iron Dome missile defense shield would protect against ballistic, hypersonic, advanced cruise missiles, and other aerial attacks.

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Speaking at her weekly briefing, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova said that this initiative essentially reaffirms the US intention to pursue the militarization of space, noting that the decision involves a significant expansion of the American nuclear arsenal.
"It directly envisions a significant strengthening of the American nuclear arsenal and means for conducting combat operations in space, including the development and deployment of space-based interception systems," she said.

"We consider this as yet another confirmation of the US focus on turning space into an arena for armed confrontation," she further stated, Xinhua news agency reported.

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Zakharova warned that the initiative would also hinder potential dialogue on strategic offensive arms, noting that this measure is the first sign of Washington's destabilizing plans for the development of its military-technical programs.

On Friday, Moscow also confirmed that three Russians were among the 67 victims of the deadly plane crash that took place in the United States on Wednesday night.

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A US passenger jet carrying 64 people crashed into the Potomac River after a mid-air collision with a US Army Black Hawk helicopter, marking the worst US air disaster since 2001.

American Eagle Flight 5342 was carrying 60 passengers and four crew members. The US Army Black Hawk helicopter had three service members on board.

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"We express our most sincere condolences to their families and all Americans. As it has already been confirmed, compatriots of ours were among the passengers on the airliner, including world champions in pair figure skating on the Russian national team Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, as well as Soviet figure skater Inna Volyanskaya, who had been working in the United States as coaches. The American athletes flying with them also died," Zakharova said during an off-site media briefing in Saransk, Mordovia.

"As stated by the American side, there are no survivors in this plane crash. Three victims of this plane crash, according to information from our Embassy, hold Russian passports. As for the fourth victim, there is an understanding that they may have held a Russian passport – this information is currently being verified," Zakharova added.

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The spokesperson mentioned that the Russian Embassy in the United States is in contact with the US State Department regarding all matters related to the tragic accident.

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