Russia has warned it may once again deploy short and intermediate-range nuclear missiles, following a breakdown in mutual restraint agreements and increasing tensions with the United States.
On Monday, a senior Kremlin official confirmed that Moscow no longer considers itself bound by a self-imposed moratorium on deploying such weapons. The announcement follows US President Donald Trump’s recent decision to reposition two American nuclear submarines closer to Russian territory.
The move by Russia effectively mirrors the US withdrawal from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, which was officially scrapped by the Trump administration in 2019. Since then, both countries have accused each other of breaching long-standing arms control norms.
In a statement, Russia’s foreign ministry said:
“Since the situation is developing towards the actual deployment of US-made land-based medium and short-range missiles in Europe and the Asia-Pacific region… the conditions for maintaining a unilateral moratorium on the deployment of similar weapons have disappeared.”
Kremlin Blames NATO Policy
The shift in policy comes amid growing hostility between Moscow and NATO members. Dmitry Medvedev, former Russian president and now deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council, posted on social media that the decision was “the result of NATO countries’ anti-Russian policy”.
Medvedev added: “This is a new reality all our opponents will have to reckon with. Expect further steps.”
His comments were made shortly after Trump announced the deployment of two US nuclear submarines in response to what he described as “highly provocative statements” from the Russian official.
“I have ordered two Nuclear Submarines to be positioned in the appropriate regions, just in case these foolish and inflammatory statements are more than just that,” Trump said on Friday.
“Words are very important, and can often lead to unintended consequences. I hope this will not be one of those instances.”
Arms Control Under Strain
The INF Treaty, signed in 1987 by the United States and the Soviet Union, had previously eliminated an entire category of nuclear weapons, land-based missiles with ranges between 500 and 5,500 kilometres. Its collapse in 2019 marked the end of one of the most significant Cold War-era arms control measures.
Since then, Russia had maintained a unilateral freeze on deploying such weapons. However, that position has now shifted following US military deployments in the Asia-Pacific, including Tomahawk cruise missiles sent to the Philippines, seen by Moscow as a direct threat.
Analysts warn that the collapse of arms control agreements and tit-for-tat deployments could pave the way for a renewed arms race, with both sides escalating their nuclear posturing in an increasingly unstable geopolitical climate.
