Russia lifts the restriction on the expansion of intermediate-range missile deployment
In a significant geopolitical move, the city of Moscow has ended its voluntary veto on the deployment of intermediate-range missiles. This decision comes after the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced the termination of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty's restrictions, citing the U.S. withdrawal from the treaty in 2019 and subsequent U.S. deployments of similar missiles in Europe and Asia as breaches of the agreement.
The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs justifies the decision by pointing to the breakdown of the treaty's restrictions, including the transfer and training with American ground-based INF-capable missile systems in European NATO countries, which it views as a "new nuclear reality" requiring compensatory military-technical measures.
Key justifications provided by Moscow include the U.S. withdrawal from the INF Treaty in 2019, ongoing U.S. deployment and training activities involving intermediate-range missile systems in Europe and Asia, and the move to deploy intermediate-range Oreshnik missiles (capable of carrying nuclear weapons) to Belarus, taken as a response to U.S. and allied missile deployments.
The decision appears partly driven by escalating geopolitical tensions, notably coming shortly before a deadline set by former U.S. President Donald Trump for a Ukrainian ceasefire and coinciding with public exchanges between Russian and U.S. leadership signaling increased hostility.
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[1] Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Statement on the End of the INF Treaty Restrictions (2021) [2] Interview with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on the End of the INF Treaty and Missile Deployments (2021) [3] Analysis of U.S.-Russia Relations and the End of the INF Treaty (2021)
Articles on recent geopolitical developments have discussed the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs' justifications for ending the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty's restrictions, which also have implications for policy-and-legislation, politics, and general news. The Russian government has cited U.S. withdrawal from the treaty in 2019, ongoing U.S. deployments and training activities involving intermediate-range missile systems in Europe and Asia, and the deployment of intermediate-range Oreshnik missiles (capable of carrying nuclear weapons) to Belarus as key factors in this decision.
