Kremlin lifts all restrictions on intermediate-range missiles — they are being prepared for deployment

Moscow has officially cancelled its own missile moratorium. Photo: Getty Images

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation has announced that the country is abandoning its unilateral «self-imposed» restrictions on the deployment of intermediate-range and short-range ground-launched missiles.

These restrictions were introduced after the termination of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, from which Russia and the United States withdrew in 2019.

In a statement, the Russian Foreign Ministry said that the initiative to limit the deployment of such missiles «did not find reciprocity». As a result, Moscow «no longer considers itself bound by» previous commitments.

The treaty signed in 1987 between the US and the USSR prohibited both sides from possessing, producing, or deploying missiles with a range of 500 to 5,500 kilometres. In 2019, both countries accused each other of violating the agreement and withdrew from it.

As a reminder, Donald Trump announced the deployment of two nuclear submarines «to the respective regions» after statements by Russian Deputy Security Council Chairman Dmitry Medvedev.

Later, Trump said that the US nuclear submarines, which he ordered to be redeployed because of Dmitrii Medvedev's threats, were already closer to Russia.