MOSCOW, February 7. /TASS/. Russia's Foreign Ministry has warned that the spiral of escalation over Western deliveries of long-range missiles to Ukraine may get out of control, Vladimir Yermakov, the director of the Foreign Ministry's Non-Proliferation and Arms Control Department, has told TASS in an interview.
"The range of missiles being supplied to Ukraine is steadily increasing. The countries making such deliveries should be aware of the inevitable consequences such steps may entail for their own security. We have repeatedly emphasized that the escalating spiral being spun by the West may at some point get out of control," Yermakov warned.
He pointed out no other NATO country apart from the United States had ground-based intermediate-range and shorter-range missiles.
"However, some of these countries are developing or intend to purchase such weapons in the future. For this reason, it is necessary to highlight the US factor again: it is the US that plans to supply allies with relevant missiles, including those for the platforms already at their disposal," he said.
Yermakov specified that the missile in question was the PrSM (Precision Strike Missile) missile being developed by the US, which during tests, "judging by available information, has already flown at a distance of over 500 kilometers."
"We are monitoring such plans in the context of our ongoing analysis of the viability of Russia's unilateral moratorium on the deployment of ground-based intermediate and shorter-range missiles," Yermakov emphasized. "As for the supply of such missile weapons to the Kiev regime, there have been no reports of such plans so far."
The missiles of intermediate range (1,000 to 5,500 kilometers) and shorter-range (500 to 1,000 kilometers) were banned by the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF Treaty) between Moscow and Washington. In December 2018, the United States addressed Russia with ultimatum demanding the elimination of new cruise missiles of the 9M729 type, which, Washington argued, was a violation of the INF Treaty. Moscow rejected these accusations, stating that the technical parameters of the said missiles were within the permissible limits. All information that was provided, including a presentation of the missile to foreign military attaches, was ignored by the US and NATO countries. Moscow put forward its own counterclaims. On February 2, 2019, the US suspended its obligations under the INF treaty. On the same day, Russia suspended its participation in the agreement. On August 2, 2019, the treaty was terminated.