The United States warns Russia against the secret nuclear missile system: "They are on alert"


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The United States has threatened to react to what they consider to be the clandestine development by Russia of a new missile system capable of launching rapid nuclear strikes against NATO countries.

The Washington ambassador to NATO said that the United States remained committed to a diplomatic solution, but that it "would match their capabilities" if the 9M729 system became operational.

The United States believes that Russia is developing missiles launched from the ground, in violation of a Cold War treaty that could allow Moscow to launch a nuclear attack on Europe in a short time, but the Kremlin has always denied any such violation.

The 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty bans a whole class of weapons – all land-based cruise missiles with a range of 500 to 5,500 km. According to NATO, the Russian system falls into this category.

Kay Bailey Hutchison initially seemed to suggest that the United States could consider military action if Russia pursued the development of the system.

"It is time for Russia to come to the table and put an end to the violations," Kay Bailey Hutchison told reporters in Brussels on the eve of a meeting between US Defense Secretary James Mattis , and its counterparts in NATO.

She added that if the system "becomes able to function," the United States "would then look at the ability to pull out a missile that could strike any of our countries in Europe and hit the United States. America".

American Ambassador to L & # 39; NATO Kay Bailey Hutchison briefs the media (Reuters)

"A countermeasure (by the United States) would be to suppress the missiles developed by Russia in violation of the treaty," she added. "They are warned."

But Ms. Hutchison later clarified in a tweet that she was not talking about a preemptive strike against Russia.

"My point: Russia must return to compliance with the INF Treaty or we will have to adapt its capabilities to protect the interests of the United States and NATO.The current situation, with a flagrant violation of Russia, is untenable. "

The INF prohibits medium-range missiles capable of striking Europe or Alaska.


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Heather Nauert, spokeswoman for the US State Department, told Washington that the United States had been arguing for some time that Moscow was not in compliance with the treaty.

"Ambassador Hutchison was talking about improving the overall position of defense and deterrence," Ms. Nauert said at a press conference. "The United States is committed to meeting its arms control obligations and expects Russia to do the same," she said, adding that the United States is discussing the issue. with their allies.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said such statements were dangerous and that it would provide detailed answers to Washington.

"It seems that people who make such statements do not realize the level of their responsibilities and the danger of aggressive rhetoric," said the spokeswoman of the TASS news agency, Maria Zakharova.

In the past, the ministry said it was ready to negotiate with the United States to try to preserve the treaty and that it would meet its obligations if the United States had done it.

Mais la même année, le rapport du département d'État américain révéla que la Russie avait violé l'obligation "de ne pas posséder, produire ou tester en vol" un missile de croisière lancé au sol d'une portée de 500 km à 5 500 km ", ou de posséder ou de produire lanceurs de tels missiles ".

Les accusations américaines vont probablement peser sur les relations entre Moscou et l'Occident, qui sont au plus bas après la saisie de la Crimée par la Russie en 2014, sa campagne de bombardement en Syrie et ses accusations d'ingérence dans les élections occidentales.

"Nous essayons depuis plusieurs années d'envoyer un message à la Russie pour lui dire que nous savons qu'ils violent le traité; nous avons montré à la Russie les preuves dont nous disposons qu'elle violait le traité", a déclaré Mme Hutchison.

"Nous posons les jalons pour que nos alliés nous aident à amener la Russie à la table", a-t-elle ajouté.

Le secrétaire américain à la Défense, Jim Mattis, a déclaré qu'il discuterait de la question avec ses homologues de l'OTAN lors d'une réunion prévue de deux jours à Bruxelles mercredi.

"Je ne peux pas prédire où cela va aller, c'est une décision du président, mais je peux vous dire qu'à la fois au Capitole et au département d'État, la situation suscite beaucoup d'inquiétude et je reviendrai avec les conseils de nos alliés et participer à cette discussion pour déterminer la voie à suivre ", a-t-il déclaré à la presse à Paris.

Rapports supplémentaires par les agences

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