Russia will lift the moratorium on the deployment of medium- and short-range missiles (INF) capable of carrying nuclear warheads, said Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in an interview with "RIA Novosti." According to him, this will be a response to the USA, accusing Washington of deploying INF-class weapons in various regions of the world contrary to the "warnings" of Moscow and Beijing.
Lavrov noted that although the moratorium is still in place, its further existence is in question, as it has practically lost its relevance. He also added that Russia has already demonstrated its "determination" to the USA by testing the medium-range ballistic missile (MRBM) "Oreshnik" on the city of Dnipro at the end of November. According to Vladimir Putin, this strike was a response to the attacks of the Ukrainian Armed Forces using American ATACMS missiles and British Storm Shadow missiles on Russian territory.
From 2026, the USA will begin deploying conventional long-range missiles in Germany as part of preparations for long-term deployment, which will include SM-6, Tomahawk cruise missiles, and developing hypersonic weapons. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz called such a step a deterrent factor necessary for ensuring European defense and spoke of readiness to abandon these measures if Russia stops the war in Ukraine.