Russia suspends INF Treaty

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) - President Vladimir Putin on Saturday announced suspension of the landmark Intermediate-range nuclear forces (INF) Treaty with the U.S.

Putin told foreign and defense ministers at a meeting in Moscow not to initiate talks with Washington on this issue.

"We will proceed as follows. Our answer will be mirrored. Our American partners have announced that they are suspending their participation in the treaty, and we are suspending it. They announced that they are engaged in and experimental design works, and we will do the same," he said.

The INF Treaty, signed in 1987 by Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev and U.S. President Ronald Reagan, was largely designed to stave off the prospects of nuclear war in Europe.

Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov claims the U.S. started violating the treaty in 1999 by using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) with characteristics by the treaty.

Later, the U.S. deployed missile launchers in Europe and widely used target missiles in a further violation, Lavrov said at the meeting with Putin.

He also said the U.S. included in its budget the expenses for creating new intermediate-range missiles prior to the announcement about the suspension of the INF Treaty.

Lavrov also said the U.S. refused to let Russian inspectors to the shooting ground to resolve concerns.

Defense Minister Sergey Shoygu reported the measures Russia is going to undertake.

In the coming months, Russia will adapt its cruise missiles of the sea basing Kalibr to the ground basing.

In addition, a development laboratory specialized in creation of ground-based complexes of hypersonic ballistic missiles of medium and shorter range will be opened.

On Friday, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced the U.S. would suspend its participation in a ballistic missile treaty on Feb. 2 over alleged Russian violations of the pact.

U.S President Donald Trump announced last October exit from the treaty, which eliminated all U.S. and Russian ground-launched cruise missiles with ranges of 310-3,420 miles (500-5,500 kilometers) and their launchers.

Pompeo in December gave Russia 60 days to return to compliance with the deal, but said Friday it had not done so.

Last month, Russia showed foreign military attaches the missile Washington found objectionable to prove it is in accordance with the agreement, but the U.S. rejected these arguments and demanded the missile and all supporting infrastructure be destroyed.

Under the terms of the treaty, the withdraw will be effective within six months of Feb. 2.