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MOSCOW, February 28 (Itar-Tass) - RIA Novosti. The United States of America, by conducting the practice of joint nuclear missions with NATO members, and preserving non-strategic nuclear weapons in Europe, can train the armed forces of European countries to use tactical nuclear weapons against Russia, Moscow has several options for an answer, said a senior official at the Institute for International Security Studies RAS Alexey Fenenko.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, speaking at a conference on disarmament in Geneva, said that the preservation of US non-strategic nuclear weapons in Europe, as well as the practice of "joint nuclear missions," hindered nuclear disarmament.

According to him, within the framework of these missions "with a grave breach of the Non-Proliferation Treaty, non-nuclear NATO members participate in the planning of the use of American non-strategic nuclear weapons and are involved in the development of relevant skills." As the Russian Foreign Minister noted, it should all be clear to everyone that "thus the US military is preparing the armed forces of the European countries for the use of tactical nuclear weapons against Russia."

The Threat to Russia

"Of course, they are preparing." During the entire period when American nuclear weapons were created in 1957, it was working out its application first against the Soviet Union, then against Russia. "There are no other goals in Europe for non-strategic nuclear weapons (the US)," told RIA Novosti Fenenko, answering the question, can this mean that the US is actually preparing the armed forces of Europe for the use of tactical nuclear weapons against Russia.

The expert noted that such joint exercises and the preservation of US non-strategic nuclear weapons in Europe is a big threat to Russia. Fenenko added that while Russia does not have a similar territory near the United States, where Moscow can mark such weapons.

According to the leading member of the Institute for International Security Problems of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Russia still has no territory in the years of the Cold War where Russia could deploy its non-strategic nuclear weapons near the United States, and "Americans always could do it". He added that since the Cold War for Moscow has always been a danger and a problem that the European allies of the United States will participate in discussions about the use of American nuclear weapons.

Moscow's response

According to the interlocutor of the agency, there are several options, how Russia can respond to US actions.

"Russia can respond to US actions, first by withdrawing from an agreement on medium and short-range missiles (INF)," Fenenko said.

Other options, according to the expert, could be the development by Russia of cruise missiles with nuclear equipment for aviation, or deployment of nuclear weapons in the Black Sea or the Baltic Fleet.

"The second option is that we will develop cruise missiles with nuclear equipment for aviation." Third, we can deploy nuclear weapons in the Baltic Fleet and in the Black Sea, "Fenenko explained.

In recent years, Moscow and Washington have regularly accused each other of violating the INF treaty. The US Congress even heard calls to draft a bill that would directly blame Russia for violating this document and prepare the way for the US to withdraw from it in the same way that Washington withdrew from the ABM Treaty.

Russia has repeatedly stated that it strictly observes its obligations under the INF Treaty. At the same time, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov noted that Moscow has very serious questions to the US about the fulfillment of the treaty by the Americans themselves. In particular, Moscow indicates that the United States is deploying on land - at a military base in Romania, as well as in Poland - installations capable of launching Tomahawk-type attack cruise missiles, which is prohibited by the treaty. The Russian side also draws attention to the fact that the United States is developing drone drones, funding research on the creation of a ground-based cruise missile.

Link: https://ria.ru/world/20180228/1515471072.html