Russia's deployment of missile systems in Venezuela would be an effective response to the U.S. missile tests which violate the INF Treaty, member of the Russian State Duma's defense committee Alexander Sherin said.
Earlier today, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered Russian government agencies at the meeting with permanent members of Russia’s Security Council to prepare a "reciprocal response" to a recent U.S. missile test.
"There might be a Cuban missile crisis-like situation, but it was the Cuban missile crisis that cooled the Americans’ heads for a long time," Interfax cited Sherin as saying.
"If such a system is placed in Venezuela, they [the U.S.] will have to be more careful," the deputy added.
The President of the National Strategy Institute, Mikhail Remizov, speaking to Vestnik Kavkaza, stressed that the scenario of the second Cuban crisis with the deployment of missile systems in Venezuela is difficult to implement due to the instability of Caracas. "In addition, the United States has enough instruments of pressure not only on Latin America, but also on Moscow in order to prevent such unpleasant for them events," he explained.
According to him, the effective strategy for Russia after the completion of the INF Treaty is different. "It's about building up an arsenal of medium and shorter-range land-based missiles, since they are quite effective in terms of the ratio of effect and development and deployment costs. This is especially important in terms of deterrence at the regional level, that is, in relations with Russia's neighbors in Eurasia, especially since Eurasia is a rather tense continent," Mikhail Remizov emphasized.
Head of the Analytical Section of the Institute of Political and Military Analysis, Alexander Khramchikhin, in turn, noted that Russia's deployment of missile systems in Venezuela will certainly provoke a new Cuban crisis. "Theoretically, this is feasible and inevitably will result in a new Cuban crisis. However, the deployment of such serious weapon in an extremely unstable country, which we cannot reach in the event of a serious confrontation with the U.S., is rather an ineffective response to U.S. actions," he said.
The expert added that now since the INF Treaty has expired, Russia’s logical response will be the full development of its missile technology, not constrained by any restrictions.
