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Russian Deputy FM addresses INF treaty collapse after US exits accord

05 August 2019 13:21 (UTC +04:00)

Russia and the US have repeatedly accused each other of violating the Cold War Era treaty. After announcing in February 2019 that it would suspend its participation in the arms control treaty, the US formally withdrew from it on 2 August, APA reports citing Sputnik.

Russian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergei Ryabkov takes part in a briefing on the termination of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) with the US.

Russia says allegations that it violated the INF Treaty are unsubstantiated and accuses the US of violating the treaty by deploying defence systems in Europe with launchers capable of firing cruise missiles at ranges prohibited under the agreement.

The INF Treaty required the two countries to eliminate and permanently refrain from the development of ground-launched ballistic and cruise missiles with ranges of 500 to 5,500 kilometres (310 to 3,417 miles).