Putin Threatens to Resume Production of Intermediate-Range Nuclear Weapons

Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia, threatened that if the United States confirms plans to deploy missiles in Germany or elsewhere in Europe, he would resume the production of intermediate-range nuclear weapons. During a naval parade in St. Petersburg on Sunday, Putin stated, "If the United States carries out such plans, we will free ourselves from the unilateral commitment we previously made regarding the non-deployment of intermediate and short-range offensive capabilities." The President added that the development of several of these systems in Russia is now in the final stages. Vladimir Putin warned, "Considering the actions of the United States and its satellite countries in Europe and other regions of the world, we will take reciprocal actions regarding their deployment." The missiles referred to by Putin, which have a range of 500 to 5500 kilometers, were the subject of a arms control treaty signed in 1987 by the United States and the Soviet Union. However, both Washington and Moscow withdrew from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty in 2019, accusing each other of violations. NATO announced the activation of part of its missile shield in Poland. Russia subsequently stated that it would not resume the production of such missiles as long as the United States does not deploy missiles abroad. In early July, Washington and Berlin announced that "periodic deployments" of U.S. long-range missiles, including Tomahawk cruise missiles, would begin in Germany in 2026. Putin mentioned that "important administrative and military sites in Russia" would fall within the range of these missiles, which "could potentially be equipped with nuclear warheads, meaning our territories could be targeted approximately 10 minutes after launch." The Russian President also pointed out that the United States has deployed intermediate-range Typhoon missile systems in Denmark and the Philippines during recent exercises.