Ryabkov on latest U.S. cruise missile test: it's regrettable

The test of a cruise missile with a range prohibited by the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty conducted by the United States is regrettable, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said.

He noted that the United States has evidently set a course for mounting military tensions. According to the diplomat, the test of a cruise missile indicates that Washington had been developing such systems for a long time.

"Preparations for withdrawing from the agreement included, in particular, the relevant research and development," TASS cited him as saying.

Ryabkov also stated that Russia will not give in to provocations in the wake of the cruise missile test conducted by the United States and will continue to comply with a moratorium on deploying these systems.

Russia reiterates its commitment to a unilateral moratorium on deploying land-based intermediate-range systems until the U.S. deploys such systems "in some part of the world," the Russian Deputy Foreign Minister concluded.