Key facts
- Russia condemned the U.S. deployment of an advanced missile system to Norway.
- Moscow stated the move further damages prospects for U.S.-Russia strategic nuclear stability talks.
- The system, utilizing Mk-41 launchers, is seen as a threat capable of reaching European Russia, including Moscow.
- Russia warned that deployment sites and command-and-control centers would become targets in a military conflict.
- U.S. media reports indicated the system was delivered to Norway in August.
Russia on Monday condemned the U.S. deployment of an advanced missile system to Norway, asserting that the move dealt a further blow to the prospect of U.S.-Russia talks on strategic nuclear stability.
In a statement, Russia's Foreign Ministry highlighted that the missile system, based on Mk-41 launchers capable of firing various missiles including Tomahawk cruise missiles, poses a threat. The ministry stated that missiles fired from these launchers could reach a significant portion of European Russia, including Moscow.
The ministry further elaborated that "Steps such as the deployment in Europe of U.S. ground-based intermediate range missiles that pose a threat to the Russian Federation 'reset to zero' - to put it mildly - the conditions for constructive dialogue with the US on strategic issues." Russia indicated it would pay "particular attention" to the deployment sites and command-and-control centers of U.S. missile systems, noting they would become targets in the event of a military conflict.
U.S. media reports suggested that Washington had delivered the new missile launch system to Norway in August. The Foreign Ministry also commented that dialogue on strategic stability between Moscow and Washington had been curtailed under the previous U.S. administration and described current administration plans for multilateral negotiations involving China as "unrealistic."