The US says Russia launched a satellite last week which it believes may be capable of attacking other such probes.

"Russia launched a satellite into low Earth orbit that we assess is likely a counter space weapon," said Pentagon spokesman Brig Gen Pat Ryder on Tuesday evening.

It was on the "same orbit" as a US government satellite, he said, adding that Washington would continue to monitor the situation and had to be ready to protect its interests.

Russia has not publicly commented on the issue.

Moscow and Washington - two global rivals - have repeatedly clashed over space weapons issue at the UN in recent weeks, with both sides accusing each other of seeking to militarise space.

Earlier on Tuesday Russia's foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova claimed the US was seeking to turn space into an "arena for military confrontation".

A number of military experts have long warned that space is likely to be the next frontier of warfare in an increasingly technology-dependent world.