MOSCOW, September 21. /TASS/. A certain progress has been achieved in Russian-US discussions on US-made Trident II missiles submarine-launched ballistic missiles fitted with nuclear warheads, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said in an interview with the Kommersant daily.
"As far as the problem of refitting launchers of Trident II submarine-launched ballistic missiles is concerned, I can confirm that some progress has been made," he said. "But I’d rather <…> not go into details right now."
The Russian diplomat added that "the issue is still in the process of discussion, some matters have not yet been clarified."
"Yes, a certain progress has been achieved, but it is yet unclear when the next meeting of a bilateral consultative commission on the New START will be held. The pandemic affects our plans. We are searching for a date," Ryabkov said.
In late January, the Federation of American Scientists said the US Navy had started to deploy W76-2 low-yield nuclear warheads on some of its Trident submarine-launched ballistic missiles. The information was later confirmed by The Pentagon.
Russian Foreign Ministry’s official spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in late April the deployment of its low-yield nuclear warheads by the United States was a dangerous step that leads to destabliziation. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said the US production of W76-2 missiles lowers the nuclear threshold and increases the risk of a nuclear conflict. According to US experts, the new missile has the explosive yield of 5-6 kilotons.