Russia Removes Nuclear Weapons Restrictions

Russia said it no longer considers itself bound by restrictions on nuclear weapons following the expiration of the New START treaty.

The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced this on February 4.

The nuclear arms control treaty between Russia and the United States officially expires on February 5.

“…we proceed from the assumption that the parties to the nuclear non-proliferation treaty are no longer bound by any obligations or reciprocal declarations within the framework of the treaty, including its core provisions, and are, in principle, free to choose their further steps,” the statement reads.

The Ministry also declared Russia’s readiness to take “military and technical countermeasures to eliminate potential additional threats to national security.”

Meanwhile, officials added that Russia “remains open to seeking political and diplomatic ways to achieve comprehensive stabilization of the strategic situation…”

New START (SNV-3)

The New START (SNV-3) treaty on the mutual reduction and limitation of strategic offensive arms between Russia and the United States was signed in 2010. It entered into force in 2011 and was intended to serve as the foundation for “nuclear stability” in the world.

Formally, the treaty expired in 2021; however, Vladimir Putin and then–U.S. President Joe Biden exercised a one-time five-year extension.

Without the signing of a new agreement, the world is left for the first time in more than 50 years without any legal control over the largest nuclear arsenals.

Last November, Russia stated that it was ready to resume nuclear tests in response to similar actions by the United States or other countries.