Russia defends veto of UN resolution to prohibit nuclear weapons in outer space, urges vote to ban all weapons

Russia on Monday defended its veto of a U.N. resolution urging all nations to prevent a nuclear arms race in outer space, challenging the U.S., Japan and their Western allies to support Moscow's rival resolution calling for a ban on all weapons in space "for all time." Russia's U.N. ambassador, Vassily Nebenzia, said the United States and Japan, which sponsored the vetoed resolution, are guilty of "hypocrisy and double standards." He accused the U.S. and Western nations more broadly of planning for the military exploration of outer space, including the deployment of weapons, in particular "strike combat systems." U.S. deputy…