Ukraine’s foreign minister, Andrii Sybiha, stated the use of a Russian missile, a ground-launched 9M729 weapon, in the conflict has prompted US President Donald Trump to pull out of the nuclear arms control pact with Moscow, Reuters news agency reports.

Sybiha’s comments came after it was confirmed that Russia had deployed and fired the missile at Ukraine 23 times since August, something a second official of the war-embattled country said.

Ukraine had also recorded two such launches in 2022. The Russian Ministry of Defense did not respond to a request for comment.

The 9M729 Russian missile was the reason that led the United States in 2019 to withdraw from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty. Washington argued that the missile violated the treaty because it had a range exceeding 500 kilometers—a claim Moscow denied.

According to the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington, the 9M729 can carry either a nuclear or conventional warhead and has a range of up to 2,500 kilometers. A military source reported that a missile of this type, launched from Russia on October 5, traveled over 1,200 kilometers before striking its target in Ukraine.

“Russia’s use of the INF-banned 9M729 against Ukraine in the past months demonstrates President Vladimir Putin’s disrespect for the United States and President Trump’s diplomatic efforts to end Russia’s war against Ukraine,” said Sybiha.

The use of the 9M729 missile strengthens Russia’s arsenal of long-range weapons and sends threatening signals toward Europe at a time when President Trump is pursuing a peaceful settlement, according to Western military analysts.

“I think Putin is trying to ramp up pressure as part of the Ukraine negotiations,” said William Alberque of the Pacific Forum, noting that the 9M729 is designed to strike targets in Europe.

Source: Reuters