Russia is abandoning the unilateral moratorium on the restriction of the deployment of intermediate- and shorter-range missiles. This was noted in an official statement by the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA).

The Russian MFA explained this decision by the build up of "destabilising missile capabilities" by the "collective West" in the regions adjacent to Russia.

The MFA added that in the future the Russian leadership will take measures towards the possible deployment of missiles "based on interagency analysis of the scope of deployment of the US-made and other Western ground-launched INF systems, as well as overall developments in international security and strategic stability."