By Samuel Timothy
Russian President Vladimir Putin has threatened to restart the production of intermediate-range nuclear weapons if the United States follows through on its intention to deploy missiles to Germany or other parts of Europe. Speaking at a naval parade in Saint Petersburg on Sunday, Putin stated, “If the United States carries out such plans, we will consider ourselves liberated from the unilateral moratorium previously adopted on the deployment of medium- and short-range strike capabilities.”
Putin revealed that Russia is nearing the final stages of developing several such missile systems and warned of “mirror measures” in response to U.S. actions and those of its allies in Europe and other regions. The missiles in question, capable of traveling between 500 and 5,500 kilometers (300-3,400 miles), were initially restricted under the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, from which both Washington and Moscow withdrew in 2019 amid mutual accusations of treaty violations.
The Russian president’s remarks follow a recent announcement by Washington and Berlin about the “episodic deployments” of long-range U.S. missiles, including Tomahawk cruise missiles, to Germany starting in 2026. Putin emphasized that such missiles could potentially be equipped with nuclear warheads, posing a significant threat to “important Russian administrative and military sites” by reducing the strike response time to approximately 10 minutes.
Putin also pointed out recent U.S. military exercises involving the deployment of Typhon mid-range missile systems in Denmark and the Philippines, drawing parallels to the Cold War era when the U.S. deployed Pershing ballistic missiles in West Germany. The Russian president’s comments underscore a growing tension reminiscent of the Cold War period.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov reiterated this sentiment, warning that European capitals could become targets for Russian missiles if the U.S. proceeds with its deployment plans. “We are taking steady steps towards the Cold War. All the attributes of the Cold War with the direct confrontation are returning,” Peskov told a state TV reporter.
