New Stage of Nuclear Blackmail: russia to Lose Arms Race
On 28 February, the president of russian federation, vladimir putin, the dictator, signed a law that suspends russia’s participation in the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START-3). This law was enforced on the day of its official publication. For the first time, the president of russian federation announced his decision on suspension of participation in START Treaty during the Federal Assembly held on 21 February.
What is the START Treaty?
This is the Treaty between russian federation and the United States on Measures for Further Reduction of the Arsenals of Deployed Strategic Nuclear Weapons.
The Treaty was first signed in 1991 by the President of the USSR, Mikhail Gorbachev, and the President of the United States, George Bush, and entered into force on 5 December, 1994. In compliance with the Treaty, each of the parties could have no more than 1600 nuclear warhead delivery vehicles (deployed ICBMs, ballistic missiles (BMs), submarine-launched ballistic missiles and heavy bombers), 6000 nuclear warheads and 880 sea-based nuclear missiles capable of a range in excess of more than 600 km.
After breakup of the USSR, russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Ukraine and the USA signed the Lisbon Protocol to START-1, in compliance with which these states were recognized as parties of START-1 adhered to the Treaty on Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and included to the list of non-nuclear weapon states. All strategic nuclear warheads located on their territory had to be eliminated or transferred to russia. The Treaty was valid for 15 years (until 2009).
In 2010, the president of russia, dmitry medvedev, and the President of the United States, Barack Obama signed START-3. The Treaty validity period made 10 years with the possibility of extension for 5 years based on mutual agreement of the parties. In 2021, vladimir putin signed a law which enforced START Treaty extension until 2026.
The START-3 provided for reduction and limitation of deployed nuclear warheads to 1550 units, intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) and heavy bombers (HB) to 700 units.
What was the world`s reaction?
The President of the United States Joe Biden said that it is a “big mistake” for russia to suspend its participation in START-3 and underlined that it was irresponsible step. Instead, Mallory Stewart, U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary for Emerging Security Challenges and Defense Policy in Bureau of Arms Control, Verification and Compliance, said that putin’s desire to promote instability and manipulate nuclear risks is more likely to drive countries to band closer together for their common defense. And it certainly will not compel the United States to back down in its support for Ukraine.
Edgars Rinkēvičs, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Latvia, pointed out that the statements of the president of the russian federation demonstrate his intention to continue the war and that the world shall answer by greater support for Ukraine and greater pressure on russia and Belarus.
Annalena Baerbock, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Germany, called on vladimir putin, president of russia, to return to START Treaty and noted that russia blows the arms control architecture on which we all depend: “The START Treaty denunciation was merely the latest blow that russia has dealt to our arms control architecture and the non-proliferation treaty”.
At the SAMAK Nordic Summit, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that vladimir putin, by the law on suspension of russia’s participation in START-3, made it impossible to normalize relations with russia after the end of the russian-Ukrainian war.
Oleg Nikolenko, Speaker of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, stated that the decision of russian federation to suspend its participation in the Treaty on Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms signed with the United States is another provocative step of the aggressor: “By undermining one of the key international treaties in the area of nuclear weapons control, russia has brazenly challenged the whole international community, proved once again its violent nature and demonstrated its aggressive intent to ruin international peace and security”.
Thus, with its decision to suspend its participation in START-3, russia once again disregards world`s nuclear and radiation safety, ruins the established security system and creates new threats of nuclear weapons proliferation. This is new nuclear blackmail of kremlin’s dictatorial regime, with the help of which russia is trying to influence and change the attitude of the Collective West, led by the United States, towards russia.
Uatom.org web-site
