United States Tests Cold War Era Missile

The Department of Defense (DOD) announced it has conducted a flight test of a Cold War era missile, specifically a “ground-launched cruise missile [which] accurately impacted its target after more than 500 kilometers of flight.” The Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty had previously barred use of “ground-launched ballistic and cruise missiles with ranges of between 500 and 5,500 kilometers,” but the United States had pulled out of the agreement three weeks prior due to claims that the deal had been “deliberately violated by Russia.” Russian Presidential Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov responded to news of the missile testing stating “that such tests only proved that from the very start, the Americans were determined to derail the INF Treaty and were making preparations for it.” Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Geng Shuang also responded to the tests, saying it “will surely trigger a new round of arms race,… [and we] advise the US to discard the out-dated cold-war and zero-sum mindset,… and do more to maintain global strategic balance and stability as well as international and regional peace.” The United States DOD says data collected from the tests will be beneficial for the “development of future intermediate-range capabilities.”

1. https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Releases/Release/Article/1937624/dod-conducts-ground-launch-cruise-missile-test/
2. https://www.newtrals.com/united-states-withdraws-from-the-intermediate-range-nuclear-forces-inf-treaty/
3. https://tass.com/defense/1074221
4. https://www.fmprc.gov.cn/mfa_eng/xwfw_665399/s2510_665401/2511_665403/t1690301.shtml