The aggressive act, authorised by Vladimir Putin, is being seen by defence experts as the first strike on a whole new battle front. Head of the UK militarys Space Directorate said debris resulting from the weapon's deployment was jeopardising satellites vital for the planet.

Precise details of the anti-satellite weapon are unclear but it was launched from Russias Cosmos 2543 satellite and it came close to a second Russian satellite. It is not known if the failure to strike a direct hit was seen as a failure of the test-launch.

But General John W Raymond, head of US Space Command, said: This is further evidence of Russias continuing efforts to develop and test space-based systems, and consistent with the Kremlins published military doctrine to employ weapons that hold US and allied space assets at risk.

The Kremlin has previously carried out low-level tests with weapons in orbit but nothing of this proportion.

One UK defence source said: This is using a satellite as a space weapon. It is a step in the direction of turning space into a new frontline.

A second added: Theyve crossed a line when it comes to the scale of this.

The UK relies on satellites for communications, navigation and weather forecasting.

Air Vice-Marshal Harvey Smyth, chief of the Ministry of Defences space directorate, said: We are concerned by the manner in which Russia tested one of its satellites by launching a projectile with the characteristics of a weapon.

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Actions of this kind threaten the peaceful use of space and risk causing debris that could pose a threat to satellites and the space systems on which the world depends.

He added: We call on Russia to avoid any further such testing.

We also urge Russia to continue to work constructively with the UK and other partners to encourage responsible behaviour in space.

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Cosmos 2543 was fired into orbit on a Soyuz rocket that was launched from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome in north-west Russia on November 26.

A second satellite was linked to it, which separated from it 11 days after the release.

US President Donald Trump said in a phone call last night to Russian President Vladimir Putin that he hoped they could avert an expensive three-way arms race between the US, China and Russia.

General John Raymond, head of US space command, said it was consistent with the Kremlins published military doctrine to employ weapons that hold US and allied space assets at risk.

The US State Department has expressed its concerns that Russian satellites have traits of a space-based weapon.

Dr Christopher Ford, the US assistant secretary of state, said: This event highlights Russias hypocritical advocacy of outer space arms control, with which Moscow aims to restrict the capabilities of the United States while clearly having no intention of halting its own counterspace program.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace told the House of Commons on Wednesday that the UK was deeply vulnerable in space.

He added: The threat against space is regretfully real, our adversaries are weaponizing space and we are deeply vulnerable in the West from those types of actions because we rely so much on space assets.

This is further evidence of Russia's continuing efforts to develop and test space-based systems, and consistent with the Kremlin's published military doctrine to employ weapons that hold US and allied space assets at risk.

The UK said the firing of the projectile with the characteristics of a weapon and warned that it could threaten the peaceful use of space.

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WW3: Dangerous space first as Russia fires weapon from one satellite to another - Daily Express