Russia has temporarily suspended checks to be carried out under the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START-3) at its military installations by the United States. This is stated in a statement on the website of the Russian Foreign Ministry.
The agency claims that the country will stop letting American inspectors in, including because of Washington’s desire to achieve a restart of inspection activities on conditions that “create unilateral advantages for the United States” and effectively deprive Russia of the right to inspect on American territory.
The Foreign Ministry recalled restrictive measures between Russia and the United States and interrupted air traffic. Due to the closed airspace for Russian aircraft of the US allies, Russia cannot deliver its inspection teams to the points of entry into US territory. According to the ministry, there are no similar obstacles on the part of Russia to American checks. Washington also influenced the tightening of the visa regime in transit countries, while American inspectors and flight crew members do not experience such difficulties, the statement says.
The START-3 Treaty was signed in 2010 by Russian and US Presidents Dmitry Medvedev and Barack Obama. The document entered into force on February 5, 2011 and refers to the mutual reduction of strategic nuclear arsenals, including nuclear warheads and intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs). The Russian Foreign Ministry notes that the START Treaty is "the most important instrument for maintaining international security and stability." Within the framework of this agreement, objects of the Russian Federation are subject to the inspection activities of the United States, and demonstrations can be held at some military objects. Russia also has the right to inspect the facilities specified in the treaty on American territory. In 2021, the State Duma and the Federation Council ratified the agreement between the Russian Federation and the United States on the extension of the START Treaty until 2026, Vladimir Putin signed the law, and on February 3, 2021, the agreement entered into force.