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The Kremlin says the World is facing a “new reality”.
The Kremlin says the World is facing a “new reality”.
What is happening?
Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has blamed NATO countries for the end of Moscow’s self-imposed ban on deploying short- and medium-range nuclear missiles.
In a post on X, he called it a direct result of what he described as the West’s “anti-Russian policy.”
Formal shift in nuclear policies
The Russian Foreign Ministry announced on Monday that it no longer considers itself bound by the moratorium, originally in place to prevent escalation following the collapse of the INF Treaty.
The move marks a formal shift in Russia’s nuclear posture.
What is the INF Treaty?
The INF Treaty, signed by Reagan and Gorbachev in 1987, led to the dismantling of thousands of ground-launched missiles with ranges between 500 and 5,500 kilometers
Its collapse is now accelerating the return of such weapons to global arsenals.
Warns of further actions
In his post, Medvedev declared this a “new reality” and warned that all opponents must now “reckon with” the consequences.
Though he didn’t provide specifics, he hinted at additional steps Russia might take in response to perceived Western provocations.
A war of words
Medvedev’s remarks came amid a fiery back-and-forth on social media with former U.S. President Donald Trump.
Their increasingly personal exchanges have underscored rising tensions between Russia and the U.S., both nuclear powers.
Russia cites U.S. treaty exit as a turning point
Russia had upheld its moratorium after the U.S. exited the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty in 2019.
Washington had accused Moscow of violating the agreement — a claim the Kremlin denied.
U.S. actions leave Russia no choice, Lavrov says
Last December, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Moscow could no longer ignore “destabilising actions” by the U.S. and NATO, citing growing evidence of U.S. missile deployments in Europe and the Asia-Pacific.
Kremlin: Balance of power shifting
According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, the conditions that once justified the moratorium are no longer present.
With U.S. land-based missile systems reportedly being placed closer to Russian borders, Moscow says it must now respond in kind.
U.S. nuclear subs on the move
In a dramatic escalation, Trump said last week that he had ordered two U.S. nuclear submarines to be relocated to “appropriate regions” after Medvedev raised the prospect of nuclear war..
