The Russian president calls for resumption of production of medium- and short-range missiles with nuclear capabilities
The Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday called for the resumption of production of medium-range missiles banned by a treaty with the United States.
Putin said at a meeting of Russia’s National Security Council, “We need to start producing these strike systems and then, based on the actual situation, make decisions on where to place them, if necessary, to ensure our safety”.
Putin said, “Russia hasn’t produced such missiles since the treaty was abrogated in 2019, but it’s known today that the United States not only produces these missile systems, but has already brought them to Europe for exercises, to Denmark… Recently, its presence in the Philippines was announced”.
The Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty banned the use of land-based nuclear and conventional missiles with ranges between 500 and 5,500 kilometers.
This treaty was considered a milestone in the field of arms control when it was signed by the late Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev and US President Ronald Reagan in 1988, which the United States withdrew from in 2019, citing Russian violations.
Since withdrawing from the treaty, the US military has moved forward with developing the capability of a ground-launched conventional medium-range missile called the Typhoon, which was banned under the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty.
The Typhoon launches two Navy missiles, the Tomahawk ground attack missile and the Standard 6 missile, and the US military conducted tests of the system during exercises in the Philippines this spring.
The last remaining arms control agreement between Washington and Moscow is the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, which limits each country to no more than 1,550 deployed nuclear warheads and 700 deployed missiles and bombers.
It’s due to expire in 2026, and the lack of dialogue on entrenching an agreement has left arms control advocates alarms.
