Russia Ends Intermediate And Short Range Missile Moratorium, Blames US Actions

Russia has officially withdrawn from its self-imposed ban on deploying intermediate-range missiles, a move it blames on U.S. military actions in Europe and the Pacific.

This marks a sharp escalation in tensions as both sides shift away from arms control agreements that once helped maintain strategic stability.

Key Facts:

On August 4, Russia ended its unilateral moratorium on ground-based intermediate- and short-range missile deployments.
The move follows nearly five years of restraint after the U.S. withdrew from the INF Treaty in 2019.
Moscow cited U.S. deployments of missile systems in Europe and the Asia-Pacific as a direct threat to Russian security.
Russian officials claim Washington ignored proposals for mutual restraint and legal guarantees of non-deployment.
The U.S. has begun fielding ground-launched Tomahawk and SM-6 missiles in the Pacific under the Typhon system.

The Rest of The Story:

Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs made it official: the self-imposed ban on ground-based intermediate- and short-range missiles is over.

The ministry stated that “Russia now considers itself free from any self-imposed obligations,” referencing U.S. military build-up in both Asia and Europe.

After the U.S. exited the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty in 2019—accusing Moscow of violations—Russia voluntarily agreed to refrain from deploying these banned weapons.

That restraint is now gone. Moscow says its patience ran out after Washington allegedly dismissed offers for mutual agreements and verification measures.

One trigger appears to be the 2024 U.S. fielding of Tomahawk and SM-6 missiles in the Pacific, part of the new Typhon system.

NATO members have also shown interest in hosting these assets.

Moscow sees these developments as crossing a red line.

The Russian statement warned that it will now “take all necessary steps to ensure national defense and strategic stability.”

U.S. plans to place long-range systems in Germany by 2026 were already singled out by Russian officials as justification for ending the moratorium.

Signed in 1987, the original INF Treaty banned land-based missiles with ranges from 500 to 5,500 kilometers.

Its collapse has now led to a renewed arms race—this time without any treaties to hold the two nuclear powers in check.

Commentary:

This latest move by Moscow confirms what many feared—arms control between the U.S. and Russia is all but dead.

Washington’s withdrawal from the INF Treaty in 2019, followed by Moscow’s voluntary moratorium, temporarily kept missile deployments in check.

That buffer is gone.

The reality is that U.S. and NATO actions, whether meant for deterrence or leverage, are being seen in Moscow as provocations.

Russia’s perception that the U.S. is encircling it militarily has only deepened since the war in Ukraine began.

The announcement that the U.S. plans to place long-range systems in Germany in 2026 only fuels that view.

This doesn’t make Russia’s actions right. But it does reveal a dangerous loop of escalation.

With no treaties left to regulate missile deployments, each side is now free to act on worst-case scenarios.

The war in Ukraine remains the central pressure point.

As the U.S. and Europe continue to arm Kyiv, Moscow sees itself backed into a corner.

It now views American deployments in Asia and Europe not just as symbolic gestures but as real military threats.

If missile systems begin popping up across NATO territory and Russian border zones, the chance of misunderstanding or accidental conflict increases dramatically.

That’s not a future anyone should want. This is a time when diplomacy and restraint should take the front seat.

Strategic communication and reengagement on arms control—even in limited forms—might be the only way to prevent a full-blown confrontation.

The Bottom Line:

Russia has walked away from its five-year ban on intermediate-range missiles, pointing to U.S. deployments in Europe and the Pacific as justification.

The breakdown of the INF Treaty now leaves both nations free to deploy land-based missiles without restriction.

With tensions already high over Ukraine and NATO posturing, this decision raises the stakes.

The absence of arms control raises the risk of a new missile race and potential miscalculation between two nuclear-armed powers.