Britain is damaging global security by expanding its arsenal of nuclear weaponry & using Russia as justification, warns Kremlin
Britain's decision to reverse decades of nuclear disarmament and increase its stockpile of warheads is detrimental to global stability. That's according to the Kremlin, reacting on Wednesday to London's new national security plan.
On Tuesday, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced that Britain would end its policy of a gradual nuclear wind-down, and instead increase its stockpile of the devastating explosives to 260. As things stand, the UK has 195, which was due to slowly drop to 180 by the mid-2020s.
"We very much regret that Britain has chosen to increase the number of nuclear warheads, it is certainly a decision that harms international stability and strategic security," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told the press. "Yet again, an ephemeral threat from Russia was voiced as justification."
Also on rt.com After agreeing New START extension, Moscow warns treaty may not last long if US attempts to ‘undermine Russia’s national security’London's latest defense review named Russia as Britain’s "most acute threat,” despite the fact that the countries don’t share a border and the likelihood of one invading the other is almost zero.
"Russia is not a threat, but the buildup of warheads is something that endangers peace all over the world," Peskov concluded.
Moscow has supported a policy of restrictions on nuclear weapons for many years. In January this year, Russia and the US agreed on an extension of the bilateral New START treaty with Washington, which was due to end on February 5. The agreement had been opposed by former president Donald Trump, but is fully backed by the newly elected Joe Biden. New START, which limits the number of deployed nuclear warheads, will now last until 2026.
According to Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov, the five-year prolongation period should be used for "in-depth intensive negotiations" about the future of international arms control.
Think your friends would be interested? Share this story!
