The U.S. is deploying new and upgraded weapons systems in response to Russian violations of a Cold War-era missile treaty as well as Russia’s recent threats to equip new cruise missiles with nuclear warheads.
Washington is investing in and deploying new and upgraded weapons systems in response to Russia’s violations of the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, known as the INF, according to Brian McKeon, a top U.S. arms control official, according to Radio Liberty.
Moscow has repeatedly denied the accusation, and claims that the U.S. itself is violating the treaty because of its policy regarding the European anti-missile shield. Washington, in turn, rejects the accusations.
The U.S. new investments were “prudent planning” and included new long-range cruise missiles, unmanned drone systems, long-range bombers, as well as an upgraded nuclear gravity bomb – the B61-21, McKeon told the House of Representatives’ Armed Service Committee.
“Russia is not violating the INF treaty in isolation from its overall aggressive behavior,” McKeon said, and added that “this is not just an arms control issue, but represents a broader challenge to transatlantic security.”
“Accordingly, we are developing a comprehensive response to Russian military actions and are committing investments now that we will make irrespective of Russia’s returning to compliance with the INF treaty,” he stated.
Meanwhile, Rose Gottemoeller, undersecretary of state for arms control and international security, told during her hearing in front of the committee that Moscow had begun testing the system in 2008 – the year Russia attacked Georgia – but the U.S. had enough data to prove Russia’s violations of the treaty only three years later, in 2011.
The 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty was signed by Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev and eliminated nearly 2,700 intermediate-range ballistic and cruise missiles, with the vast majority of them being from Russia’s side.
United Nations adopts Russia’s resolution to restrict space weapons
The UN adopted a resolution proposed by Russia, which calls for a restriction against placing first weapons in outer space, explaining the resolution as a measure to prevent an arms race in space that could bring tragic consequences, according to Sputnik News.
As many as 129 nations voted in favor for Russian-led “no first placement initiative,” while the U.S., Georgia and Ukraine, both of which had been attacked by Russia in 2008 and 2014 respectively, voted against the resolution. European Union states, meanwhile, abstained.
The U.S. has repeatedly opposed the Russian-led resolution, saying it does not go far enough, according to the Russian news outlet.
“It is noteworthy that the only government objecting to the substance of our initiative is the United States, which for many years has stood in almost complete isolation trying to block successive efforts of the international community to prevent an arms race in outer space,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement posted on its website Tuesday.
The U.S., Russia and China are all working on developing space weapons. Last month, when Russia tried to put forward the draft legislation to a vote, U.S. delegate Robert Wood said “the United States finds that Russia’s NFP initiative contains a number of significant problems.” In particular, the U.S. noted that Russia does not define space weapons properly.
“As a result, [nations] will not have any mutual understanding of the operative terminology,” making the resolution difficult to enforce.
The U.S. also argues that the Russian-led initiative has not outlined ground-based anti-satellite missiles, which have been widely tested by Russia, China and the U.S.
Russia threatens to use nuclear weapons in Syria
On Wednesday, ValueWalk reported that Russia is considering using nuclear weapons against ISIS targets in Syria, which has triggered fears over a potential encounter between NATO and Russia’s forces that could lead to a global nuclear war.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said Russia’s new cruise missiles could be equipped with nuclear warheads, but that he hopes they would “never be needed,” according to ValueWalk citing RT.
The Russian President’s statements come after Russia fired cruise missiles from its submarine at Syrian targets. Putin has praised the Russian cruise missiles fired against the militant group from the sea, and added that he hopes these weapons would not have to be armed with nuclear warheads.
“We must analyze everything happening on the battlefield, how the weapons operate,” Putin said during his meeting with Russia’s Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu.
“The Kalibrs (sea based cruise missiles) and KH-101 (airborne cruise missile) have proved to be modern and highly effective, and now we know it for sure – precision weapons that can be equipped with both conventional and special warheads, which are nuclear,” Putin said.
“Naturally, this is not necessary when fighting terrorists and, I hope, will never be needed,” Putin added.
U.S. wants war with Russia: former U.S. Army officer
With U.S. President Barack Obama’s move to place U.S. fighter jets on the Turkish-Syrian border to “target Russian planes,” the tensions between the Washington and Moscow could spiral into a “devastating nuclear war,” according to a U.S. representative.
Amid escalated tensions between Washington and Moscow, there are indications that the U.S. is seeking to wage World War 3 with Russia, according to a former U.S. Army officer.
U.S. Vice President Joe Biden’s visit to Ukraine suggests that the U.S. wants to start a war with Russia by escalating tensions in the eastern European country, says Joachim Hagopian, former U.S. Army officer. Biden arrived in Ukraine on Sunday to reassure the Ukrainian government that Washington still remembers its ally despite the fact that the U.S. cooperates with Moscow on fighting Daesh terrorists in Syria.
Biden arrived in Ukraine to “kind of reassure the Kiev puppet ally government that the United States is standing behind them, ready for World War 3 against Russia,” Hagopian told Press TV on Sunday.
