US withdraws from Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty with Russia

The US has formally withdrawn from Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) with Russia.

The INF was signed by then US President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev in 1987.It banned missiles with ranges between 500 and 5,500 km.

But earlier this year the US and NATO accused Russia of violating the pact by deploying a new type of cruise missile, which Moscow has denied.

The Washinton said they had evidence that Russia had deployed a number of 9M729 missiles – known to NATO as SSC-8.

In a statement US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo today said Russia is solely responsible for the treaty’s demise.

He said that with the full support of NATO allies, the United States has determined Russia to be in material breach of the treaty, and has subsequently suspended its obligations under the treaty.

In a statement carried by State-run Ria Novosti news agency, Russia’s foreign ministry confirmed the INF treaty was formally dead.

In last February, President Donald Trump set the August 2 deadline for the US to withdraw if Russia didn’t come into compliance.

Russian President Vladimir Putin suspended his country’s own obligations to the treaty shortly afterwards.