Russian nuclear missiles had already targeted the United States and vice versa. Russia will retaliate any of Washington’s move to deploy any new nuclear missile system closer to Moscow by stationing its own nuclear missile power closure to the US or also by deploying faster nuclear missile systems or both, Russian President Vladimir Putin has said on Wednesday.
According to Tolo news agency, the US state department, in Washington, has dismissed the Russian president’s comment as “propaganda designed to divert attention from what Washington alleges is Moscow’s violations of the Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces Treaty”.
Putin said Moscow was not at all seeking any confrontation, and would not take the first step to deploy nuclear missiles in retaliation to the US’ decision this month to withdraw from the landmark cold war-era arms control pact.
Putin also said Moscow’s reaction to any US deployment would be resolute and that the US policymakers should calculate the risks of this before initiating any steps.
Putin told Russia’s political elite to strong applause: “It’s their right to think how they want. But can they count? I’m sure they can. Let them count the speed and the range of the weapons systems we are developing.”
He added: “Russia will be forced to create and deploy types of weapons which can be used not only in respect of those territories from which the direct threat to us originates, but also in respect of those territories where the centers of decision-making are located.”
“These weapons, by their tactical and technical specifications, including their flight time to the command centers I’m talking about, will fully correspond to the threats that will be directed against Russia.”
The US state department said US was not developing “exotic new nuclear weapons delivery systems” and reiterated its claim that Moscow violates the INF pact while the US does not.
State Department spokesperson said: “President Putin’s remarks are a continuation of Russia’s propaganda effort to avoid responsibility for Russia’s actions in violation of the INF Treaty.”