In the case of the US withdrawal from the Treaty on the elimination of intermediate-range and shorter-range nuclear forces (INF) the objectives of the Russian response will be the countries hosting these us missiles, said the chief of the General staff of the Russian Armed forces army General Valery Gerasimov.

“I would like to convey through you to your leaders that if the INF Treaty is destroyed, it will not remain unanswered on our part. You as military professionals should understand that not the territory of the United States, but the countries that host American complexes with medium — range and shorter-range missiles, will be the targets of defeat for Russia’s response,” he said during a briefing before the military attaché of foreign States (quoted by RIA “Novosti”).

Gerasimov once again accused the US of violating the INF TREATY, and Washington called the counter accusations “an attempt to camouflage the true state of affairs”. In addition, the head of the Russian General staff claims that the United States bypasses some provisions of the Treaty on strategic offensive arms.

“Unfortunately, our American partners for reaching the quantitative parameters established by the agreement for two years, carried out the conversion of their strategic offensive weapons (four launchers at each of the 14 submarines type “Ohio” and 41 heavy bomber b-52N) and unilaterally eliminated them from consideration under the Treaty. This gives them the opportunity to quickly increase the potential of their strategic offensive forces and increase the number of warheads by more than 1,200 units,” he said.

The official charges against NATO

On the eve of NATO issued an official statement in which Russia is accused of violating the INF Treaty.

“The allies came to the conclusion that Russia has developed and deployed a missile system 9М729, which violates the INF Treaty and represents a significant risk to Euro-Atlantic security”, — reads the statement of the Alliance.

Previously, such accusations against Russia were made by the United States, but now Washington has also managed to convince the validity of its fears of NATO allies.

“”The US has evidence that Russia is violating the Treaty [start]. And we have provided this evidence to both Russia and our partners. I cannot discuss the intelligence and details of any information that may have been provided. But all parties are familiar with the information that they should know,” said BBC representative of the US state Department Vanessa Asker.

If Russia within 60 days will not return to the execution of the INF TREATY, the United States will withdraw from the Treaty, said in Washington.

“NATO gives Russia the last chance to save the INF Treaty. Or it should prepare for peace without the INF TREATY,” NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said following a meeting in Brussels.

The position of Russia

In the Kremlin, NATO statement called the escalation of the situation and manipulation of facts.

“Well, indeed, we have seen the statements of different parties, we have seen the statement of the leadership of NATO, the North Atlantic Alliance. Of course, let’s say, we are talking about escalating the situation, we are talking in many ways about manipulating the facts in order to camouflage these facts the true goals of the exit from the INF of the United States of America”, — said the press Secretary of the President of Russia Dmitry Peskov.

Russia has repeatedly rejected the accusations of the American side and put forward counter-claims to the United States in connection with the deployment of a missile defense system in Europe.

“Our missiles do not violate, but they do. MK41 – (launcher) dual-use, AGM-158-rocket, which is transferred to the mode of universal launcher ground use, as well as universal drone, which with a large charge can fly, beating all — they have already supply on military bases in Europe all these systems,” — said Interfax the member of the Federation Council Committee on defense and security Franz Klintsevich.