A defense system currently being developed by the U.S. could be a threat to Russia's security, a high-ranking Russian diplomat said Thursday.
"If we are talking about the existing ballistic carriers with conventional armaments, then it is definitely a path toward escalating conflict with grievous, indeed apocalyptic consequences," Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told Kommersant.
He said that the development of hypersonic missiles, which are an integral part of the United State's Prompt Global Strike system, could significantly change the balance of power and affect overall stability in international relations.
"We have yet to assess how the appearance of such systems could affect our security," he said.
Rybakov said that he was unable to give a clear-cut assessment due to the advanced nature of the weapons delivery systems in question and the methods needed to counteract them.
The Prompt Global Strike system is an advanced defense program that would let the U.S. military deliver rapid and precise strikes around the globe using conventional weapons. The system, as yet unfinished, incorporates existing weapons technologies and advanced ones like hypersonic missiles.
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