Kremlin threatens to deploy nuclear missiles near the US
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov assumed possibility that Russia can deploy missiles banned by the Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) closer to the United States. In this way, reports Interfax news agency.
According to Ryabkov, the critical point in the decision will be the flight time of the missiles. He added that this decision is "speculative-abstract." The representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry referred to the Caribbean crisis, but noted that the analogy is not geographical, "and it's not referring to any specific coordinates on the globe."
"But still, I hope that the harsh reality of the future will bring these people [ the US authorities] to an understanding. In my opinion, they think that they are playing games with European and global security," said Ryabkov while answering the question about the Russia’s actions if the US uses the ground-based missiles prohibited by the Treaty in Europe.
The United States will withdraw from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) on Friday, August 2. The reason for the withdrawal from the agreement for the American side was the development of a 9M729 cruise missile by Russia. The US believes that the range of its flight exceeds the permitted range of the Treaty. Moscow denies it.
Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that Moscow is also withdrawing from the INF Treaty in response to the actions of the United States.
Later, US President Donald Trump said that Washington will conclude a new deal with Moscow in the field of arms control.