Moscow

Hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the suspension of nuclear arms treaty control, Moscow on Tuesday clarified that it will continue observing restrictions on nuclear warheads under the New START treaty.

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"Russia intends to adhere to a responsible approach and will continue to strictly comply with the quantitative restrictions on strategic offensive arms stipulated by it (New START) within the life cycle of the treaty," Russia's foreign ministry said in a statement.

Earlier in the day, Putin, in his state of the nation address, said that Moscow was suspending the major remaining nuclear arms control treaty after accusing the US and its NATO allies of openly declaring the goal of Russia's defeat in Ukraine.

“They want to inflict a strategic defeat on us and claim our nuclear facilities,” the Russian president was quoted as saying, according to Reuters news agency.

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“In this regard, I am forced to state that Russia is suspending its participation in the strategic offensive arms treaty.”

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The 70-year-old leader argued that while the US has pushed for the resumption of inspections of Russian nuclear facilities under the treaty, NATO allies had helped Ukraine mount drone attacks on Russian air bases hosting nuclear-capable strategic bombers.

“Now, through NATO representatives, they are putting forward, in fact, an ultimatum: you, Russia, must fulfil everything that you have agreed on, including the Start treaty, and we will behave as we please.”

‘Deeply unfortunate, irresponsible’

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken had strongly reacted to Russia’s move saying that the decision to suspend from participating in the New START treaty was irresponsible and added that the United States will watch carefully to see what Moscow actually does.

“The announcement by Russia that it’s suspending participation is deeply unfortunate and irresponsible,” Blinken told reporters in Athens. “We’ll be watching carefully to see what Russia actually does. We’ll of course make sure that in any event, we are postured appropriately for the security of our own country and that of our allies.”

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