Russian President Vladimir Putin warned on Sunday that he would restart production of intermediate-range nuclear weapons if the United States proceeded with plans to deploy missiles in Germany or other European countries. Putin stated during a naval parade in Saint Petersburg, "If the United States implements these plans, we will no longer feel bound by the unilateral moratorium we previously imposed on the deployment of medium- and short-range strike capabilities." He further noted that Russia is currently in the final stages of developing several such systems and would respond symmetrically, considering the actions of the US and its allies in Europe and beyond.
These missiles, capable of traveling between 500 and 5,500 kilometers, were previously regulated by a 1987 arms control treaty between the US and the Soviet Union. However, both nations abandoned the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty in 2019, each blaming the other for breaches. Russia had pledged not to resume production of these missiles as long as the US refrained from deploying them overseas. However, recent announcements by Washington and Berlin indicate that long-range US missiles, including Tomahawk cruise missiles, will be deployed in Germany starting in 2026.
Putin highlighted that "important Russian administrative and military sites" would be within striking distance of these missiles, which could potentially be armed with nuclear warheads, reducing the time to impact to approximately 10 minutes. He also pointed out the deployment of US Typhon mid-range missile systems in Denmark and the Philippines, drawing parallels to the Cold War era when American Pershing medium-range missiles were stationed in Europe. The Kremlin has already expressed concerns that such deployments would make European capitals potential targets for Russian missiles, with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov noting, "We are steadily moving towards a Cold War scenario, with all its confrontational attributes."
