Lavrov says moratorium on RSMD deployment should be abandoned

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said that Russia will inevitably have to abandon its unilateral moratorium on the deployment of ground-based intermediate-range and shorter-range missiles (RSMD).

"Today it is obvious that, for example, our moratorium on the deployment of RSMD is already practically unviable and will have to be abandoned," he told RIA Novosti.

Lavrov also noted that the US has "arrogantly ignored" warnings from Russia and China and deployed similar weapons in various regions of the world.

"As Russian President Vladimir Putin has unequivocally stated, we will respond to this, and respond proportionately," Lavrov commented.

According to him, the recent test of the newest medium-range hypersonic system "Oreshnik" was able to convincingly demonstrate to the West Russia's determination and capabilities in implementing compensatory measures.

At the same time, the minister reminded that as of today Russia's moratorium on the deployment of ground-based RSMDs is still in effect.

Earlier, on September 10, Putin said that the United States is provoking an arms race with its actions: it openly announces plans to deploy RSMDs, including in the Asia-Pacific region. The President noted that Washington was acting without regard for the security of its allies in Asia and Europe.

In July, following the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Astana, the head of state said that Russia was ready to mirror the US deployment of RSMDs.

In early June, Putin said that the deployment of intermediate-range and shorter-range missiles by the United States in various regions of the world would not go unanswered: Moscow would begin production of RSMDs and subsequently decide on their location.

The Intermediate-Range and Shorter-Range Missile Elimination Treaty was concluded between the USSR and the United States in 1987 and prohibited the two states from producing and deploying intermediate-range and shorter-range ballistic and cruise missiles. On August 2, 2019, the MRMD lapsed due to the US withdrawal. Russia was also forced to suspend its obligations, while expressing readiness for other countries to join the document.