This greatly reduces the deterrent effect.
At the same time, they absolutely cannot admit to anything, instead merely claiming ignorance and complete dissociation because the interference with the satellite due to the anti-gravity experiment is just speculation from the Aerospace Bureau, with no concrete evidence to back it up.
Some countries also want to obtain evidence.
For instance, a highly influential figure stepped forward and proposed, "An international investigation team should look into the anti-gravity research to see if the experiment led to the satellite's malfunction."
Of course, that was impossible.
Such a proposition was clearly 'an open secret'.
However, it can't be denied that the anti-gravity experiments affecting satellite orbits were indeed sufficiently intimidating, though they also brought some negative repercussions.