Russia expresses security concerns in light of US, UK plans to deploy missiles

Moscow: The US and the UK's plan to deploy ground-based intermediate and shorter-range missiles in various regions across the world will hinder the effort to prevent a large-scale escalation, the Russian Foreign Ministry expressed its concerns on Monday.

In its statement, the Ministry said that Pentagon officials in the US have recently made statements about the practical steps required to deploy in various regions of the world ground-based intermediate and shorter-range missiles, previously banned by the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, Xinhua news agency reported.

The British military has joined in on the "openly hostile, destabilizing" statements and actions in this regard, the ministry noted.

It also warned that the plans will narrow the space for a diplomatic solution to the post-INF Treaty problem.

Russia will continue to carefully monitor the actions of the US and its allies to create a ground-based INF arsenal in Europe and Asia-Pacific, said the statement.

"We are by no means shutting the door to dialogue, but in the current conditions we do not rule out that Russia will be forced" to respond to the growing missile threats, the statement read.

In August 2019, Russia and the US formally withdrew from the INF Treaty after accusing each other of violating the landmark arms control deal signed in Washington in December 1987.

(with minor edits from IANS)