This type of weapon, with a range of 500 to 5,500 km, was the subject of a limitation treaty between Washington and Moscow, signed during the time of the USSR, before the two nations withdrew from it in 2019.
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Russian President Vladimir Putin threatened on Sunday, July 28, to resume production of intermediate-range nuclear weapons if the United States confirmed its intention to deploy missiles in Germany or elsewhere in Europe. “If the United States implements such plans, we will consider ourselves freed from the previously adopted unilateral moratorium on the deployment of medium- and short-range strike capabilities.”the Kremlin leader said in a speech at a naval parade in St. Petersburg.
This type of weapon, with a range of 500 to 5,500 km, was the subject of a limitation treaty between Washington and Moscow, the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, signed during the USSR era. Russia and the United States withdrew from this treaty in 2019, each accusing the other of no longer respecting its provisions. Moscow had, however, announced that it would not restart production of this type of missile until the United States deployed them abroad.
However, Washington and Berlin announced in July their intention to “begin episodic deployments of long-range fire capabilities” in Germany in 2026, mentioning SM-6 missiles, Tomahawk missiles and hypersonic weapons under development.
“Important Russian sites of state administration and the army will be within the range of these missiles (…). The flight time of these missiles, which could in the future be equipped with nuclear warheads, to our territories will be about 10 minutes.”Vladimir Putin explained on Sunday, adding that “This situation recalls[ait] Cold War events related to the deployment of American Pershing medium-range missiles in Europe”.
