ASHGABAT (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 11th October, 2019) Russian President Vladimir Putin has accused the United States of inventing a pretext for withdrawing from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) over its concerns related to the Asian region.
"This time, it has decided to act more ingeniously, it has invented a pretext, although it is not related to Russia at all, it is related to its Asian policy, and we see what is really happening with the intermediate-range and shorter-range missiles. It has been accusing us all the time of violating something, and it tested a shorter-range missile just three months after the exit," Putin said, noting that it was not possible to create such a missile in three months, as years were needed to do this.
Russia is concerned as the Pentagon has announced its plans to deploy INF-banned missiles in Asia, the Russian leader noted.
"It is clear who is the number-one target in this case, and this does not make us happy, as it affects us as well. We'll have to see where exactly it will be deployed, but it will reach the Russian territory as well. All this aggravates the international security situation," Putin added.
