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| Yars-ICBM launcher of Russia, Image Credit: Google/Al-Jazeera |
The United
States and Russia, in their recent moves have announced to stop sharing of "Biannual Data Exchange" about
their nuclear stockpiles, their limitation and reduction for which they are bound under the New
START Treaty and 1988 Agreement.
The New Start
Treaty:
The new START
(Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty) was signed in 2010 between Barrak
Hussain Obama and Dmitry Medvedev, the then Presidents of United States and Russia.
This came into
force in 2011 and extended for further 5 years in 2021 by the parties.
According to
the Treaty, the countries would limit its deployed nuclear warheads to the number
of 1550 and deployed bombers and missiles to 700.
The treaty also
binds the parties to share details of their nuclear arsenals.
The 1988
Agreement for Strategic Stability:
The agreement
was signed between United States and Soviet Union- Modern Day Russia.
The agreement binds
the two states to issue notices on the test of ballistic launches. This also
intends to; a) Correction interpretation of each other’s moves, and b) Make sure
that the launch has not been made to attack.
Both the states have exchanged notifications about test launches of their ballistic missiles since then. The practice of issuing notices under the treaty has so far maintained strategic stability for decades.
The recent wave
of Tensions between the two Powers:
It was reported
that both the countries have announced stop sharing of nuclear information to each other
one after the other.
Russia:
It was announced
by the Deputy Foreign Minister of Russia, Sergei Ryabkov that the Russia have
stopped information exchanges with US after suspension of its participation in
the New START in the previous month.
Russian Media
quoted him as saying that “There will be no notifications at all”.
In the last
month, Russian President, Vladmir Putin had suspended its participation in the
New START treaty on the account that Moscow could not accept inspections of its
nuclear sites by the United States. As US along NATO has openly declared
Russian defeat in Ukraine as their goal.
In the official
statement issued by Russian Foreign Ministry, it was said that Moscow had not
withdrawn from the New START altogether and would continue to respect the
provisions regarding caps on nuclear arsenals. It will also keep notifying about
the planned ballistic test launches.
Defense
Ministry of Russia informed last week about starting exercises across three
regions Serbia. The exercised involve the manoeuvres of Yars mobile ICBM (Inter-Continental
Ballistic Missile) which is considered as the backbone of Russian Strategic Missile
System.
The exercises also
include the measures to conceal deployment of Yars-ICBM from satellites and other
intelligence checks. The missile has a range of about 11.000 km and 6,835 in
miles.
About 300 vehicles
and around 3,000 troops moving towards eastern Siberia were shown in video
telecasted by Defense Ministry.
The Secretary
of Russia’s Security Council, Nikolai Patrushev, has warned in the remarks to
US and its allies against encouraging hopes for Russian defeat in Ukraine.
The United
States:
The statement
issued by White House, in response to Russian suspension of its participation from
New START coined that the US will also cease exchanging information of its nuclear
arsenals.
Although,
Russia has not withdrawn from the security pact but its announcement to suspend
participation has shaken the last pillar of US-Russia nuclear arms control, the
White House added.
(Courtesy:
Al-Jazeera)
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