Military expert, director of the museum of the Air Defense Forces Yuri Knutov explained the suspension of Russia’s participation in the Treaty on Measures for the Further Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms (START, START-3) by violations by the United States. He expressed this opinion in an interview with Izvestia on Tuesday, February 21.
“The United States of America is unilaterally violating the actual treaty and, on the other hand, is demanding an on-site inspection of the condition of our nuclear facilities. If we remain in the treaty, then we are obliged to allow the Pentagon intelligence groups and give the opportunity to study the state of our nuclear triad on the ground, ”Knutov said.
According to him, the suspension of participation in the START first of all means the exclusion of American inspections of Russian facilities. Moscow will also stop providing information about the status and location of its nuclear forces.
Earlier that day, in his address to the Federal Assembly, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that the Russian Federation was suspending participation in the New START Treaty. He stressed that this is precisely the suspension of participation, and not the withdrawal from the contract. At the same time, the head of state said that before returning to the discussion of START, the country must understand how to take into account the nuclear arsenals of France and Great Britain.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, commenting on Putin’s statement, noted that the alliance regrets the decision taken by the Russian side. He also urged Moscow to reconsider it.
The agreement between Russia and the United States on measures to further reduce and limit strategic offensive arms was signed on April 8, 2010 in Prague. It replaced the 1991 START Treaty and, upon entry into force, replaced the 2002 Strategic Offensive Reductions Treaty (STRAT).
In January 2021, Putin and his American counterpart Joe Biden agreed to extend the agreement without additional conditions until February 5, 2026. However, the situation changed after the start of the Russian special operation to protect the Donbass and the intervention of the West in the Russian-Ukrainian conflict.
