MOSCOW, March 04. /ITAR-TASS/. The US has made a decision to interrupt all military contacts with Russia due to the situation in Ukraine; nevertheless, this will not influence US compliance with the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty with Russia, known as the New START, the former chief of Russia’s strategic nuclear armed forces, Viktor Yesin, told Itar-Tass on Tuesday.

Yesin said that all the plans for annual cooperation between both countries’ Defense Ministries were first approved by the countries’ military staff chiefs. “The cooperation documents usually include such articles as military delegations exchanges, visits by ships, joint land, sea and air army exercises, the sharing of information of interest to each side and many other activities. As far as the New START treaty is concerned, it was actually signed by the countries’ presidents, which make it extremely important for enhancing the security of both Russia and the US”, he explained.

In the official’s opinion, the situation in Ukraine can hardly prevent Moscow or Washington from timely informing each other about test launches of their strategic missiles and the sharing of information on the number of deployed missiles and the quantity of nuclear warheads on them, as well as all other information the New START treaty provides for. According to it, the sides shall inform each other on the issues concerned twice a year.

“There have always been and there will always be disagreements between our countries on some issues. However, it is hardly possible that they will strongly influence Russia-US strategic relations”, concluded Yesin.