Vladimir Putin hints Russia to start making previously banned nuclear-capable missiles

President Vladimir Putin said on Friday (Jun 28) that Russia should start production of previously banned intermediate and shorter-range nuclear-capable missiles.

Putin said that Moscow should then consider where to deploy them after the United States brought similar missiles to Europe and Asia.

Russian president's appeal to strengthen military arsenal was made a few days after Moscow accused Washington ofan attack on the Crimean peninsula, which killed four.

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Russia claimed that it was certain that the attack was carried out by US-supplied ATACMS missiles carrying cluster bombs.

In a televised address to his top security officials, Putin said Russia needed to start manufacturing missiles that were previously banned under a now-defunct Cold War treaty.

Putin said Russia had pledged not to deploy such missiles, but he reminded that the US had recently sent midrange missiles, which are able to strike targets at a distance of 500 to 5,500 kilometres, to Denmark for training exercises. He said the US also took them to the Philippines.

"We need to react to this and make decisions about what we should do next in this area. It seems that we need to start producing these strike systems," Putin was shown on state television telling Russia's Security Council.

"And then, based on the reality of the actual situation, make decisions about where to deploy them for our security," he added.

Such missiles are capable of carrying nuclear warheads. They were previously banned under the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, which was signed by Mikhail Gorbachev and Ronald Reagan in 1987. It marked the first time the superpowers had agreed to reduce their nuclear arsenals and eliminate a whole category of nuclear weapons.

However, Washington terminated the deal in 2019, blaming Russia for not complying with its terms.

(With inputs from agencies)