The Kremlin has announced that it is no longer respecting its self-imposed moratorium on intermediate-range missiles, sparking fears of an escalation of the arms race in Europe.

The Russian Foreign Ministry justified the decision in response to the deployment of US missiles in Germany, saying that Russia no longer considers itself constrained by any limitations. Vladimir Putin has announced the deployment of Oreshnik missiles in Belarus, which have attack capabilities comparable to nuclear missiles. The development comes after the collapse of a 1987 treaty banning intermediate-range missiles, heightening fears of an escalation of Cold War-era tensions.