(Dan Tri) - Russia warned that it may take countermeasures after US President Donald Trump directed the development of the "Iron Dome" defense system.
Israel's Iron Dome system (Photo: IDF).
Moscow could expand and upgrade its nuclear arsenal if Washington continues to push ahead with the development of new missile defense systems, Grigory Mashkov, Special Envoy of the Russian Foreign Ministry, said in an interview with Russia's International Affairs magazine published on January 30.
Since Moscow launched its military campaign in Ukraine, tensions between Russia and Kiev's Western allies, including the United States, have increased sharply.
President Vladimir Putin and many Russian officials have repeatedly hinted at the risk of nuclear escalation. Two years ago, the Russian leader also suspended his country’s participation in the New START nuclear arms reduction treaty, the last remaining pact between Moscow and Washington to limit nuclear arsenals.
In an executive order signed this week, US President Donald Trump directed the military to begin “building the great Iron Dome missile defense system, made entirely in the United States.” Iron Dome is Israel’s air defense system designed to intercept rockets and artillery shells, with development assistance from the US.
According to Mr. Mashkov, the US's continued development of a global missile defense system "puts an end to the prospects of reducing strategic offensive weapons and maintaining strategic stability under previous conditions."
Mr Mashkov warned that in the current confrontation with the West, Russia may need to “abandon restrictions on its nuclear and missile arsenals and increase them both quantitatively and qualitatively”.
He also stressed that Russia would review "commitments in the field of transparency and confidence-building, as well as suspend discussions on nuclear risks and threats" because, according to him, the West is trying to undermine Russia's strategic and non-strategic deterrence forces.
President Trump, in a speech in Florida earlier this week, said the US "Iron Dome" system will be produced entirely domestically.
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told reporters that the US's plan to develop "Iron Dome" is moving quickly.
Meanwhile, Mr. Mashkov commented: "The missile arms race has really begun, accompanied by a large-scale modernization of nuclear arsenals and means of delivering weapons of mass destruction."
Source: https://dantri.com.vn/the-gioi/my-phat-trien-vom-sat-nga-canh-bao-mo-rong-kho-vu-khi-hat-nhan-20250131070353254.htm
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