Post by Andrei Tchentchik on Sept 5, 2019 18:40:53 GMT 2
(.#B.013).- Putin promises to respond to the US missile strike, 24-8-2019.
Putin promises to respond to the US missile strike, August 24, 2019.
Saturday, August 24, 2019.
MOSCOW (AFP) Russian President Vladimir Putin yesterday promised a "symmetrical response" to the US's recent trial of an intermediate-range missile, its first since the Cold War, which raises fears of a new arms race .
"I order the Russian Ministries of Defense and Foreign Affairs (...) to analyze the level of threat created for our country by the actions of the United States and to take comprehensive measures to prepare a symmetrical response," he said. Mr Putin at a meeting of his Security Council.
DISARMAMENT TREATY INF
The US test, conducted Sunday from San Nicolas Island, off California, ratified the death of the INF disarmament treaty, which abolishes the use - by Russia and the United States alone - of land-based missiles. a range of 500 to 5500 km.
This treaty, whose signature at the end of the cold war in 1987 had put an end to the crisis of the Euro-missiles, triggered by the deployment in Europe of Soviet SS-20 nuclear warheads, was suspended by the two rival powers early August 2019, after six sets of a dialogue of the deaf.
Russia and China immediately condemned the trial of Sunday, August 18, 2019, denouncing the risk of "escalation of military tensions" and a revival of the arms race.
"It is obvious that (the US missile test) was not the result of an improvisation, but one more link in a chain of events planned for a long time," Putin said yesterday. "This only confirms the basis of our concerns expressed previously," he added.
"EVIDENCE VIOLATION"
Since the beginning of the year, Moscow and Washington have been accusing each other of violating the INF Treaty.
The Americans are questioning the Russian missile 9M729 with a range, according to them, of 1500 km, which Moscow denies. Russia denounces the US missile defense system Aegis Ashore deployed in Poland and Romania, fearing that it is used for the launch of cruise missiles targeting the Russian territory.
"Now, a violation is obvious, there is no point in challenging it," said Putin.
F I N.
