US accuses Russia of violating 1987 treaty
The United States on July 29 urged Russia to destroy all weapons banned under a series of pacts, warning that Moscow is in “violation of its obligations” under a 1987 treaty that President Ronald Reagan signed with Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev in 1987.
According to the US, Russia violated a key nuclear weapons treaty by testing a cruise missile R-500 which has a range of more than 1,000 km-1987- Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces Treaty banned medium-range missiles with ranges between 500 and 5,500 km (300 to 3,400 miles).
Over the matter, US President Barack Obama has written to Russian leader Vladimir Putin to which Putin replied, ‘this treaty is unfair and not suitable for Russia. The US doesn't have medium-range missiles but other countries do have them, such as China, Pakistan and Israel, so according to Russia this is unfair and wrong.’
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According to analysts, Russia has a far greater need for medium-range cruise missiles than the US, because military rivals including China are located near its borders and because it lacks the Americans' long-range bombing capabilities
Russian officials have previously criticised the 1987 treaty, including former defence minister Sergei Ivanov. In 2013, Ivanov, then presidential chief of staff, said of the treaty: “We are fulfilling it, but it can't last forever.”
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