‘This is a retaliatory move’: US stops nuclear-related data transfer to Russia – CNN

The United States will not provide Russia with data on its nuclear forces, which they exchange every six months under the nuclear arms control treaty. About this today, March 28, CNN writes.

They said this was a response to Russia’s refusal to share this data.

“Yesterday we had further contact with Russia, insisting that an exchange of data, which takes place every six months according to the agreement, should be before the end of the month. Russia said that they would not give this information. And so, Deputy Secretary of Defense for Space Policy, John Plumb, as a diplomatic countermeasure. “The United States will not provide information in response,” he said.

“The United States will continue to explore what diplomatic countermeasures are appropriate for a nuclear state,” he said.

“What we’re trying to do is balance the reaction to Russia’s irresponsible behavior, but continue to demonstrate what we think a responsible nuclear power should do.”

The US considers the decision not to provide data in response to Russia’s actions as “a legitimate countermeasure aimed at encouraging Russia to comply with the agreement”.

In his speech to the Federal Assembly on February 21, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that his country was suspending participation in the START agreement with the United States.

At the same time, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that Russia will continue to comply with some of the restrictions specified in the document and will notify the American side of the launch of ICBMs and SLBMs. The ministry also stressed that the decision to suspend participation in START could be reversed.

In the statement of the US State Department dated March 15, it is stated that Vladimir Putin’s words in the START agreement to “suspend participation” are not legally correct. American diplomats also noted that the Russian Federation violated the terms of the agreement.

Let us remind you that Russian President Vladimir Putin announced on 25 March that Russia will start the construction of a nuclear weapons storage facility in Belarus on 3 April. According to the Kremlin head, the work should be completed by July 1, 2023.

We also wrote that the West’s reaction to Vladimir Putin’s statement on nuclear weapons was ambiguous. In particular, the Pentagon said they saw no signs that Moscow was preparing to use nuclear weapons, and the German Foreign Ministry accused Moscow of nuclear intimidation.

On March 26, White House coordinator John Kirby said the United States had seen no signs that Russia was deploying nuclear weapons in Belarus.

On March 27, the Chinese Foreign Ministry announced that Beijing did not approve of Russia’s intention to deploy tactical nuclear weapons on Belarusian soil.