"The Kremlin lifts restrictions and issues a threatening missile announcement to the Western world"
In a move that could escalate tensions, Russia has announced its intention to deploy new intermediate-range ballistic missiles near European Union and NATO states. This decision comes after Russia's withdrawal from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) and the end of its self-imposed moratorium.
The Russian missile deployment plan, which is expected to be implemented this year, focuses on rapidly fielding the Oreshnik intermediate-range ballistic missile. This nuclear-capable missile, with a range of up to 5,500 kilometers, is reportedly already in serial production, and Russia plans to deploy the first full battalion of SS-X-34 Oreshnik systems.
President Putin has announced that Oreshnik missiles will be deployed not only on Russian territory but also on the territory of allies such as Belarus, marking a clear effort to extend missile coverage closer to NATO borders. This deployment is intended to counter perceived threats from U.S. and NATO missile deployments in Europe, especially the planned deployment of U.S. Typhoon and Dark Eagle missiles in Germany starting 2026.
Alongside Oreshnik, Russia may also deploy Iskander-M ballistic missiles, which are shorter-range but nuclear-capable and currently operational within regions close to NATO, such as Kaliningrad and Crimea.
Russia cites U.S. and NATO development and deployment of intermediate-range missiles as destabilizing and threatening its national security. Specifically, Russia points to U.S.-Germany cooperation on episodic deployment of ground-based intermediate-range missiles and NATO exercises as justification for its actions.
This move by Russia significantly elevates the threat level to NATO members and undercuts European security stability. Russian missile deployments could occur in strategically sensitive regions like Kaliningrad, Crimea, and Belarus, putting major Eastern and Central European capitals within range.
The Kremlin has also announced it is no longer bound by any constraints on deploying short- and intermediate-range missiles near European Union and NATO states. In response to what it claims are US plans to deploy such missiles in areas of Europe and Asia that would threaten Russia, the Kremlin spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, confirmed that Moscow now feels free to deploy short- and mid-range missiles wherever it likes.
Meanwhile, on the diplomatic front, envoys for U.S. President Donald Trump are expected in Moscow and Kyiv this week. Steve Witkoff is expected to arrive in Moscow on Wednesday, and Keith Kellogg is set to visit Ukraine.
As the global community watches these developments unfold, the potential for escalation involving nuclear-capable systems with shorter flight times and less predictable payloads looms large. The dismantling of the post-Cold War arms control regime, set in motion by the INF Treaty, is a worrying sign for global security.
References: 1. BBC News 2. The Guardian 3. The New York Times 4. CNN 5. The Washington Post
The Russian decision to deploy Oreshnik and potentially Iskander-M missiles, as well as its statement about being unconstrained by limits on short- and intermediate-range missiles near European Union and NATO states, raises concerns about war-and-conflicts and politics, particularly in the realm of general-news. This action, which could involve the deployment of these missiles in strategically sensitive regions like Kaliningrad, Crimea, and Belarus, may increase tensions and jeopardize European security stability. The global community is closely monitoring these developments, as they unfold, with a focus on diplomatic efforts to mitigate the potential for escalation.
