Russia is circumventing the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, creating missiles that can cover 500 kilometers, U.S. ambassador to Russia John Tefft said.
"It is a threat not just for us, but for our allies, we constantly raise this issue," he said, noting that the Russian side does not recognize these violations, which negatively affects bilateral relations.
The United States considers the INF Treaty important and "clearly follows the letter" of the treaty, Tefft stressed.
The US State Department concluded in a July 2014 arms control report that "the Russian Federation is in violation of its obligations under the INF Treaty not to possess, produce, or flight-test a ground-launched cruise missile (GLCM) with a range capability of 500 km to 5,500 km, or to possess or produce launchers of such missiles."
