Russian President Vladimir Putin threatened to restart the production of intermediate-range nuclear weapons if the United States proceeds with its plans to deploy missiles in Germany or other parts of Europe.
In July 2024, Washington and Berlin announced in a joint statement plans to launch episodic deployments of long-range fire capabilities in Germany by 2026, including SM-6 missiles, Tomahawk missiles, and “developmental hypersonic weapons.”
“If the United States implements such plans, we will consider ourselves freed from the previously adopted unilateral moratorium on the deployment of medium- and short-range strike capabilities,” Putin declared on July 28, 2024, speaking at a naval parade in St. Petersburg featuring ships from China, India, and Algeria.
Intermediate-range nuclear weapons, with a range of 500 to 5,500 kilometers (310 to 3,400 miles), were previously restricted under the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty signed by the US and the USSR. Both nations withdrew from the treaty in 2019, each accusing the other of violations. Despite this, Russia had pledged not to produce these missiles unless the US deployed them abroad.
“Important Russian sites of state administration and the army will be within the range of these missiles,” Putin stated, noting that the flight time of these missiles to Russian territories would be about ten minutes. “This situation is reminiscent of the events of the Cold War related to the deployment of American medium-range Pershing missiles in Europe.”
Putin also highlighted the recent transfer of Typhon missile systems to Denmark and the Philippines by the US, and concluded by emphasizing that Russia would take “mirror measures” in response to US actions and those of its allies in Europe and beyond.