Russia after the United States comes out of the rocket pact: how it threatens the world

Russia suspends participation in the treaty on medium and shorter-range missiles (PRSMD) as a mirror response to such a US decision, said Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Фото: Depositphotos

“We will do the following. Our answer will be a mirror one. American partners announced that they are suspending their participation in the agreement, and we are suspending,” Putin said at a meeting with Defense and Foreign Ministers Sergei Shoigu and Sergei Lavrov, quoted Air force.

The President also asked the two departments to no longer initiate negotiations with the United States on disarmament, but noted that all the proposals of the Russian Federation remain in force.

“All our proposals, as before, in this area (limitations on intermediate- and shorter-range missiles) remain on the table, the doors for negotiations are open,” Putin said.

Putin also agreed with Shoigu’s proposal to create a medium-range ground-launched hypersonic missile, as well as a ground-based version of the Kalibr.

On Friday, US President Donald Trump announced that from February 2 The United States unilaterally suspend all obligations under the liquidation agreement medium-range and shorter-range missiles (PRSP) and begin the procedure for withdrawing from the treaty.

“This situation, of course, aggravates the situation that has developed in recent years in general in the field of nuclear disarmament and strategic stability,” Lavrov said at a meeting with Putin.

The agreement signed in 1987 between the USSR and the USA is one of the most important agreements that ensured a state of "strategic stability" in the world, which practically guaranteed that a nuclear war would not start. Now this state is under threat.

Mark of the USSR. Treaty between the USSR and the USA on the elimination of medium-range and shorter-range missiles (1987, CFA No. 5896). Photo: Wikipedia / Public Domain

State Duma Reaction

The State Duma of Russia said that the suspension of the United States fulfillment of its obligations under the Treaty on the Elimination of Intermediate-Range and Shorter-Range Missiles (DIS) threatens to escalate tensions, primarily in European countries, writes Rossiyskaya Gazeta.

Thus, the Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Defense and Security, Yuri Shvytkin, commented on the RT statement by the American leader Donald Trump. In the Russian Federation called such a move by the United States dangerous.

“First of all, the US decision threatens an escalation of tensions and a possible arms race. And this is a danger in relation to those countries where the corresponding types of US weapons are located, primarily European countries,” Shvytkin said.

The State Duma also appreciated the decision of Russian President Vladimir Putin to suspend Russia's participation in the Treaty on Medium and Short Range Missiles (INF).

Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Defense and Security Yuri Shvytkin called this response adequate, given the actions of the United States. According to him, Vladimir Putin “made an absolutely informed decision that corresponds to the realities of the time.”

“It will sober up US politicians and pro-Western politicians who are trying to impose an arms race on us and destroy the security system in the world,” the deputy noted in a conversation with RT.

Member of the State Duma Committee on International Affairs Anton Morozov agrees with him. “The Americans and I failed to build a constructive dialogue on the INF Treaty. They constantly make unfounded demands and unfounded accusations against Russia, and send ultimatum letters. Therefore, a situation has arisen where further negotiations are futile,” the parliamentarian said.

According to him, “we ourselves never provoke an arms race and do not plan to unilaterally place missiles anywhere.”

NATO reaction

NATO countries supported the US withdrawal from the Treaty on the Elimination of Intermediate-Range and Short-Range Missiles (INF), writes UNIAN. This is stated in the statement of NATO. The Alliance regrets that Russia continues to deny the breach of the treaty and refuses to provide access to accurate information about its missiles. In addition, the Alliance recalled repeated attempts to return Russia to the implementation of the treaty, as well as calls for dialogue.

“Allies regret that Russia continues to deny violations, refuses to provide any credible answers, and takes no clear steps to return to full compliance with the treaty,” the statement said.

The Alliance urged Moscow to use the next six months in order to renew the INF Treaty. NATO calls on the Russian Federation to destroy the 9М729 cruise missile systems.

NATO said that if Russia does not fulfill its obligations under the treaty, then the United States will withdraw from it in six months, and then Moscow will be solely responsible for its termination.

Earlier on Saturday, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg told the BBC:

“All (European) allies agree with the US because Russia has been violating the treaty for several years. It is deploying more and more new missiles capable of carrying a nuclear warhead in Europe.”

European countries, however, fear that the final cancellation of the treaty will lead to an arms race, including the possible deployment of American missiles on European territory.

UN Secretary General's reaction

UN Secretary-General António Guterres hopes that Russia and the United States will use the next six months to resolve the contradictions under the Treaty on the Elimination of Intermediate-Range and Shorter-Range Missiles (INF), writes Columnist. This was announced on Friday at a briefing by the official representative of the UN Secretary-General Stefan Dusarric.

“We saw the announcement made today,” he said. “The Secretary General hopes that the parties will use the six months that were announced to resolve the contradictions. The INF Treaty is very important for the international arms control architecture.”

China's reaction

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China called on the United States to return to the treaty and resolve differences with Russia in the framework of a dialogue, rather than threats. Beijing warned that the US decision is fraught with a series of negative consequences.

“China opposes the US withdrawal from the treaty and calls on the United States and Russia to properly resolve their differences through constructive dialogue,” a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said.

American officials, meanwhile, indicate that about 95% of China’s missile arsenal would violate the requirements of the INF Treaty, if China had signed it. At present, the Chinese authorities are not bound by this agreement, and Beijing has previously rejected the possibility of concluding a multilateral agreement on the type of INF Treaty, which would include the PRC.

“They have been violating it for many years.”

US President Donald Trump announced the United States' intention to withdraw from the treaty on October 20, 2018. He cited violations of the treaty by the Russian side as the reason for his withdrawal: “They have been violating it for many years. And we're not going to let them violate the nuclear agreement and make weapons."

Washington claims that Russia has secretly developed a new cruise missile, the 9M728, based on the 9M729 missile for the Iskander-M operational-tactical complex.

Its range, according to the US, in violation of the treaty, significantly exceeds 500 kilometers. According to the Americans, they have evidence of the creation of such a missile and its testing. In addition, the new rocket even looks different from the old one - it is noticeably longer.

Russia denies these accusations, as proof, it even demonstrated a new product, but not the 9М729 rocket itself, but the transport and launch container for it. In comparison with the container for 9М728, it really turned out to be longer. At the same time, pointing to the container, the Russian military explained that the rocket is longer not due to an increase in the fuel tank, but because of a larger warhead and a new navigation system.

The last requirement of the United States was to destroy the 9М729 missiles, which, according to the Americans, violate the treaty. Russia called it an ultimatum and accused America of seeking to withdraw from the treaty at any cost.

On Saturday, the Russian Defense Ministry said the US decided to withdraw from the INF Treaty several years before "unsubstantiated accusations against Russia were made public."

What is the INF?

• The Treaty on Medium and Short Range Missiles, signed by the USA and the USSR in 1987, prohibited all complexes of nuclear and non-nuclear ground-based missiles with an average (1000-5500 km) and a smaller (500-1000 km) radius of action.
• The US was worried about the deployment of the SS-20 missile system, and in response, America deployed Pershing missiles and cruise missiles in Europe, triggering large-scale protest reactions.
• By 1991, about 2700 missiles were destroyed.
• In May, 2007, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov, stated that "the treaty is no longer effective, since dozens of states have emerged that have such missiles." In the same year, Vladimir Putin declared the need to make the INF Treaty multilateral, but then the administration of Barack Obama showed no interest in the Moscow initiative.
• In 2002, the United States withdrew from the treaty on the limitation of missile defense systems.

Putin instructed Shoigu to refine the Caliber missile

The head of state also approved the start of work on the creation of a ground-based hypersonic missile, writes RBC.

President Vladimir Putin supported the proposals of Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu to create ground-based hypersonic missiles and a ground-based version of the Caliber missiles. The head of state stated this during a meeting with Minister and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, the Kremlin press service reports.

“They [the United States] announced that they are engaged in research and development, development work, and we will do the same,” the president said.

Currently, the Russian Kalibr cruise missile is being developed and produced only in a sea-based version. It was installed on new Russian frigates and missile ships. This was due to the restrictions of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF Treaty), which did not allow the installation of such missiles on land installations.

Starting today, the United States will begin withdrawing from the INF Treaty and suspend the commitments made back in 1987. The entire process of withdrawing from the agreement will take six months. The day before, American President Donald Trump promised that Washington would develop its own weapons in response to violations committed by Moscow under the INF Treaty, and in order to “deprive Russia of any military benefits from its illegal actions.” Nevertheless, a little later he said that he would like to conclude a new treaty with Russia on intermediate- and shorter-range missiles.

The reason for the US claims against Russia was the 9М729 cruise missile, which can be launched from Iskander-M installations. US National Intelligence Director Daniel Coates said earlier that by the year 2015 Russia had conducted flight tests and deployed missiles whose range does not meet the requirements of the treaty. Moscow, in turn, believes that the rocket does not violate the provisions of the INF.

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