The Kremlin announced on Tuesday that Russia is no longer bound by any restrictions on deploying intermediate-range missiles, a day after Moscow officially declared it was abandoning its self-imposed moratorium on such weapons.
The development marks a further step away from the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, which the United States withdrew from in 2019, citing Russian non-compliance. Following the US exit, Russia had stated it would refrain from deploying intermediate-range missiles unless Washington did so first.
Russia Condemns US Tariff Threats Against India
In a related escalation, the Kremlin accused the United States of engaging in unfair trade pressure against India. The comments came after US President Donald Trump threatened to raise tariffs on imports from India over its continued purchase of Russian oil.
“We hear many statements that are essentially threats, attempts to coerce countries into severing trade relations with Russia. We do not view such statements as legitimate,” said Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov.
He emphasized that “sovereign nations must have the right to choose their own trade and economic partners and frameworks in line with their national interests.”
India responded strongly to the US threats, labeling them “unjustified” and vowing to protect its economic interests. Two Indian government sources told Reuters over the weekend that New Delhi will continue to buy oil from Russia despite Washington’s warnings. President Trump has said he will impose new sanctions on Russia and its trading partners this coming Friday, unless Moscow takes steps to end the conflict in Ukraine.
Criticism of Moldova Over Sentencing of Pro-Russian Politician
The Kremlin also criticized Moldova for sentencing pro-Russian regional governor Evghenia Gutsul to seven years in prison. Peskov claimed the sentence violated democratic norms and was politically motivated.
According to Moldovan prosecutors, Gutsul funneled undeclared funds into the country between 2019 and 2022 to support the banned pro-Russian Shor Party. The party was founded by Ilan Shor, a fugitive businessman convicted of fraud in Moldova. Gutsul has denied all charges.
