Russia says new cruise missile doesn't violate arms pact
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Russia's Foreign Ministry has dismissed the U.S. claim that a new Russian missile violates a Cold War-era arms treaty.
The U.S. and NATO have voiced concern that a new Russian cruise missile breaches the 1987 Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty. The U.S.-Soviet pact bans all land-based cruise and ballistic missiles with a range between 500 and 5,500 kilometers (310-3,410 miles).
The Russian Foreign Ministry's spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, said at Thursday's briefing that the 9M729 land-based cruise missile "fully conforms to the demands of the treaty." She insisted that it "hasn't been designed and tested for the range prohibited by the treaty."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Zakharova said that Moscow expects Washington to start talks to discuss what Russia considers as U.S. violations of the treaty. Washington has rejected Russian claims of perceived violations.