Russia no longer has restrictions on INF missiles deployment: Kremlin
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Speaking to reporters, Peskov says Russia no longer considers itself to be limited by something.
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Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks with Igor Shuvalov, the chairman of the Russian state development corporation VEB.RF, during their meeting at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, on August 5, 2025 (AP)
Russia is no longer bound by any restrictions on deploying intermediate-range and shorter-range land-based missiles, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed on Tuesday.
This follows a statement from the Russian Foreign Ministry on Monday, which said that the conditions for maintaining its unilateral moratorium under the now-defunct Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty had disappeared. As a result, Russia no longer sees itself as obligated to uphold the self-imposed limitations.
"There are no more restrictions on this in Russia. Russia no longer considers itself to be limited by something," Peskov told reporters, adding that Moscow now reserves the right to deploy INF-class missiles if it deems it necessary.
Russia has formally ended its voluntary suspension on the deployment of intermediate-range and short-range land-based missiles, responding to what it describes as an increasingly hostile and destabilizing military posture by the United States and NATO.
Russia ends self-imposed ban on INF-class missile deployments
According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, Russia can no longer justify self-restraint in the face of unchecked US militarization in Europe and the Asia-Pacific, actions it says directly endanger Russian national security.
"Since ... the situation is developing along the path of the actual deployment of US-made ground-based medium-range and short-range missiles in Europe and the Asia-Pacific region, the Russian Foreign Ministry notes the disappearance of conditions for maintaining a unilateral moratorium on the deployment of similar weapons and is authorized to declare that Russia no longer considers itself bound by the relevant previously adopted self-restrictions," the statement read.
Moscow has repeatedly warned that the Western alliance is deliberately provoking a new arms race, positioning offensive weaponry ever closer to Russia’s borders while refusing to engage in dialogue or mutual security arrangements. Despite Russia’s efforts to restore strategic equilibrium, including its call for a reciprocal moratorium on missile deployments, NATO has ignored these overtures.
"Western steps lead to the buildup of missile capabilities in regions adjacent to Russia, posing a threat to Russia's strategic security," the statement added.
