The New START is shaken, Strategic Stability at Risk over US-Russia Tensions

 

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In the official statement issued by Russian Foreign Ministry, it was said that Moscow had not withdrawn from the New START altogether and would continue to respect the provisions regarding caps on nuclear arsenals.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)