The expert criticized Stoltenberg's statements about Russian aggression

MOSCOW, February 19 (Itar-Tass) - RIA Novosti. Accusations against Russia on the part of NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in the intention to unleash a new nuclear arms race are not supported by real facts, while neither NATO nor Washington themselves seek transparency of relations with Moscow, a member of the expert council of the MIC board, Victor Murakhovsky, told RIA Novosti on Monday .

Earlier, Secretary General of the North Atlantic Alliance Jens Stoltenberg said that Moscow risks unleashing a new nuclear race in Europe. According to him, who quoted the publication Bild, Russia plans to create a new medium-range missile, which threatens the existence of an agreement on the elimination of medium and short-range missiles (INF).

"When the first persons of NATO rely on certain" data ", then, as now, they do not bring anything concrete, although NATO experts sometimes call modifications to our missiles, which, in their opinion, violate the INF treaty, but when you start to look at the parameters of these products, it immediately becomes clear that here we are dealing with distorting the facts, "Murakhovsky said.

He stressed that Russia also has questions on a number of deployed weapons systems in Europe, while the West does not show a readiness to dispel fears of Moscow.

"If something does not suit them, then we are ready to exchange data, but only on a reciprocal basis." For example, the experts of the advisory commission on compliance with the INF Treaty could personally inspect our products, but again everything must be done on a reciprocal basis. there are also fears about certain American products, "the expert said.

Counter-claims of Russia

Speaking about American weapons systems that raise questions in Moscow, the expert cited as an example the ground missile systems Aegis Ashore deployed in Romania and Poland, from which cruise missiles can be launched.

"In addition, if we follow the letter of this treaty, some US drone drone completely fit into the definition of medium-range land-based missiles provided for by the INF Treaty," Murakhovsky added.

Test transparency is observed

According to the expert, unlike Washington, Moscow is always ready to prove its adherence to the INF Treaty, providing data on all Russian weapons tested, whose tactical and technical characteristics arouse the suspicions of the American side.

"The data we present in the missile control regime prove that Russia does not violate the INF regulations, for example, after testing the intercontinental ballistic missile Yars in NATO, it was stated that its range is less than 5000 kilometers. data - tests were carried out at a distance of 7000 kilometers, and all data were officially presented, "the source said.

Murakhovsky also recalled that in response to NATO's claims, Moscow provided official data on the missiles that are part of the Caliber and Bastion complexes, the range of which is less than 500 kilometers. In addition, the missile, which is part of the "Caliber" complex, has a range of less than 500 kilometers.

The INF Treaty was signed on December 8, 1987 during the visit of Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev to Washington. For the first time, a whole class of missile weapons with a range of damage from 500 to 1,000 and from 1,000 to 5,500 kilometers, including R-12 and R-14 missiles, which the USSR placed in Cuba in 1962, provoked the renowned Caribbean crisis.

Russia and the US have repeatedly accused each other of developing systems that violate the INF Treaty. In the US Congress, calls were often made to draft a bill that would directly blame Russia for violating the treaty and prepare the way for the US to withdraw from it in the same way that Washington withdrew from the ABM Treaty.

The Russian Foreign Ministry has repeatedly stressed that the country strictly observes its obligations under all international agreements, in particular under the INF Treaty. At the same time, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov noted that Moscow has very serious questions about the US over the implementation of the treaty by the Americans themselves.

Link: https://ria.ru/world/20180219/1514911557.html