Russia respects the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) and all its weapons are in conformity with the agreement's provisions, Viktor Bondarev, the chairman of the Russian parliament's upper house Defense and Security Committee, said on Tuesday.
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 14th August, 2018) Russia respects the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) and all its weapons are in conformity with the agreement's provisions, Viktor Bondarev, the chairman of the Russian parliament's upper house Defense and Security Committee, said on Tuesday.
On Monday, US President Donald Trump signed the country's 2019 defense budget. The budget stipulates that the United States should discuss with Moscow whether Russia's Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile and other new conventional weapons, in particular, X-101 air-launched strategic cruise missile and the long-distance guided flight hypersonic glide vehicle Avangard, fell under the New START.
"Russia is committed to all its international obligations, including to the New START. All our weapons, including the ones that are being developed and put into operation as well as the ones that have been placed at the disposal of the troops long ago, are in full conformity with the treaty's requirements," Bondarev said.
He also stressed that Russia's nuclear arsenal corresponded to the quotas prescribed by the New START.
"Of course, we introduce new weapons, but instead of outmoded, low-tech ones. For example, the Russian Strategic Missile Troops are currently rearming with Yars [advanced mobile land-based missile systems], they are replacing Topol [ballistic missile systems], which, in turn, are being decommissioned," Bondarev explained.
The New START treaty, signed in 2010 and effectuated on February 5, 2011, requires Russia and the United States to, within seven years, reduce the number of deployed nuclear warheads to 1,550; cut deployed intercontinental ballistic missiles, submarine-launched ballistic missiles and heavy bombers capable of carrying nuclear armament to 700; and slash the number of ballistic missile launchers and heavy bombers to 800.
