Russia on Monday announced the removal of its own moratorium (voluntary restriction) imposed on the deployment of intermediate and short-range missiles. The decision was taken by the US following an order to deploy two of its nuclear submarines near the Russian coast, which has increased tension between the two countries. The Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement, “Now Russia does not feel tied to the Mortorium that was imposed on itself that was about the deployment of intermediate and short-ranges missiles. The circumstances of maintaining these moratorium are no longer survived.”
This step has been taken at a time when Russia had already indicated that it can eliminate this moratorium. In December 2024, External Affairs Minister Sergei Lavarov had gestured in this direction, and President Vladimir Putin also indicated that month that Russia could deploy in the second half of 2025 in its oriented intermediate-range ballistic missile Belarus.
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The Russian Foreign Ministry said that the warnings of Russia were constantly ignored by the US and NATO on this issue. According to the ministry, “Now the situation is such that intermediate and short-range ground-based missiles created by the US are actually being deployed in Europe and Asia-Pacific sector.” For example, the decision by Russia to lift the ban has exempted him to deploy land-based short range missiles, which can target Europe and Asia.
Russia has Freedom of Action, will be used if needed
The Ministry of External Affairs made it clear that “there is no presence of any condition now that can justify maintaining this motorium.” The statement further states, “Russia no longer does not consider the voluntary blocks already implemented to itself.” Kremlin spokesman Dimitri Peskov also said that Russia keeps Freedom of Action on the issue and when needed, he will use this freedom in response to NATO’s ‘aggressive actions’.
The Russian Foreign Ministry accused the Western countries that their activities towards the deployment of such missiles have become ‘Direct Threat’ for the safety of Russia. In such a situation, Russia will have to take necessary steps for its safety.
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What does it mean to remove Russia’s moratorium?
Significantly, the Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces (INF) was signed between the US and the Soviet Union in 1987, with a ban on deployment of missiles with a range of 500 to 5,500 km. However, the US was out of this agreement in 2019. Now that the US has taken a step to send its submarines closer to Russia, Russia has completely eliminated its commitment to this historic treaty.
On Friday, Trump said in his ‘Truth Social’ post that he has ordered to send American submarines to “appropriate areas”. The move was taken after the alleged “inflammatory statements” of Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman and former President Dimitri Medvedev. This move of Russia can take strategic tension between the two countries to a new turn, especially when global security is already facing a challenge on many fronts.
New challenge for America-Europe
Russia’s removal of its own restriction from INF Treaty will present a new challenge to Europe. Now New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New Start) is the last treaty left to curb the nuclear weapons of America and Russia. If this treaty is also over, then for the first time after 1972, there will be no control over the weapons of the world’s two largest nuclear powers. For example, Russia will now be able to build and deploy the unmarked intermediate and short-range ground-based missiles.
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