MOSCOW. Feb 16 (Interfax) - The Russian military has observed missile trials conducted by Israel and China to improve national missile defense systems.
"Two tests conducted by Israel and the People's Republic of China to upgrade national missile defense systems were observed in January," Sergei Suchkov, head of the Missile Attack Warning Center of the Russian Aerospace Forces' Space Forces, said.
"Hardware did not let us down, and the smooth operation of radar stations and command posts allowed us to track both targets and interceptor missiles on their flight trajectories," Suchkov said in an interview with the Russian Defense Ministry's newspaper Krasnaya Zvezda.
Russia has been testing interceptor missiles for the past few years. The Defense Ministry reported successful trials of a new interceptor missile at the Sary Shagan range in Kazakhstan.
Russian Aerospace Forces Commander Sergei Surovikin said in July 2020 that new interceptor missiles would strengthen Moscow's missile defense.
The U.S. Space Command views the new Russian interceptor missile as a challenge to U.S. interests in outer space. The U.S. military believes the missile is capable of destroying satellites in low orbits.
The Russian Defense Ministry said in November 2021 it had conducted successful trials of the system that hit an old satellite, the Soviet-built Tselina-D. The ministry said that satellite debris posed no danger to orbital stations and space operations.
Washington expressed concern about the tests.