The American SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule approaches the International Space Station for docking. (AP file photo)

The United States has called a Russian anti-satellite missile test irresponsible and destructive claiming that it caused a debris field in space that forced astronauts aboard the International Space Station to temporarily seek shelter.

US State Department spokesperson Ned Price told reporters on Monday that Russia had recklessly conducted a destructive satellite test of a direct ascent anti-satellite missile against one of its own satellites.

She said the test has so far generated over 1,500 pieces of trackable, orbital debris and hundreds of thousands of pieces of smaller orbital debris that now threaten the interests of all nations.

US Space Command earlier on Monday said a debris-generating event happened in space but did not mention Russia.

We are actively working to characterize the debris field and will continue to ensure all space-faring nations have the information necessary to maneuver satellites if impacted, the command said in a statement.

In reference to the debris, Roscosmos, Russia’s state-run space corporation, said: The orbit of the object ... has moved away from the International Space Station orbit. The station is in the green zone.

Price warned the test will significantly increase the risk to astronauts and cosmonauts on the International Space Station, as well as to other human spaceflight activities.

Russia’s dangerous and irresponsible behavior jeopardizes the long-term sustainability of our outer space and clearly demonstrates that Russia’s claims of opposing the weaponization of space are disingenuous and hypocritical, Price said.

The United States will work with our allies and partners to respond to Russia’s irresponsible act, the spokesperson added.

Meanwhile, Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby lamented that Russia failed to warn the US of the test ahead of time. This was an irresponsible act, he said.

We watch closely the kinds of capabilities that Russia seems to want to develop which could pose a threat not just to our national security interests but the security interests of other spacefaring nations, Kirby said. And again, we’ve been very clear, we would like to see norms for space so that it can be used responsibly by all spacefaring nations.

The US claims come as both Russia and China Russia have expressed concerns about the growing militarization of space by the United States and its allies, warning that such hostile measures should be counterbalanced.

Former US President Donald Trump had taken a keen interest in space, announcing the establishment of a new Space Force branch of the military, despite opposition from the Pentagon.

The US claims that both China and Russia have been seeking to militarize space. The US Defense Intelligence Agency described the two countries as the real threats to US capabilities in outer space.

Analysts say the US exaggerates the space military capabilities of Russia and China as a pretext to accelerate its own plans to prepare for space warfare.

This is while Washington is a member of the Outer Space Treaty, which prohibits the deployment of weapons of mass destruction in space and only allows for the use of the moon and other celestial bodies for peaceful purposes.