Russia says suspension of New START will thwart US intel collection
Moscow says leaving the New START nuclear arms control treaty has given Russia new security options, blaming the United States for collapsing bilateral relations.
In an interview with Russia 24 TV news channel, aired on Tuesday, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov stressed that through the suspension "we have gained additional opportunities for ourselves to ensure our security."
Washington is employing "any channel, any window to see into our military world," he said, adding that closing off inspections and data-sharing agreements through New START would prevent the US from intelligence gathering.
He also blamed Washington for severely straining relations with Moscow, saying that he could "probably describe the current state of these relations in one word - collapse. The relations are destroyed, and the responsibility for this lies with the US."
Last year, Russia stopped allowing American inspectors onto its military sites, responding to travel restrictions imposed by the US on Russian inspectors in reaction to the initiation of a special operation by Moscow in Ukraine.
The Kremlin said it was foolish to share information on Russia's nuclear capabilities at a time when the US could pass that information to Ukraine.
On February 21, Russia suspended its participation in New START. However, it did not withdraw from the treaty, clarifying that it would continue to abide by the limits on the number of nuclear warheads that can be deployed under New START.
Furthermore, Ryabkov also said the West should take account of Russia's decision to deploy part of its tactical nuclear weapons in neighboring Belarus.
"Our opponents have to see the reality of what is happening around them. Don't escalate, don't provoke us," he added.
MG
