Russia’s move follows remarks by U.S. President Donald Trump, who ordered the repositioning of two nuclear submarines in response to what he called “provocative statements” from Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council. Medvedev, responding to U.S. ultimatums over Ukraine, warned that each new threat increases the risk of war.

Russian officials emphasized that the decision to lift the moratorium was driven by “the scale of deployment of American and other Western land-based intermediate-range missiles.” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that Russia “no longer has any limitations” and retains the right to take action based on ongoing security assessments. The Foreign Ministry warned that U.S. missile placement in Europe and Asia would provoke countermeasures.

New Oreshnik Missile Adds To Escalation Fears

Russia’s military has already introduced the Oreshnik missile, first used in Ukraine in November. The intermediate-range system is reportedly capable of reaching all of Europe and can carry either conventional or nuclear warheads. President Vladimir Putin has praised its speed—up to Mach 10—and declared it capable of evading interception, likening its power to that of nuclear strikes when used in salvos.

The moratorium had followed the collapse of the INF Treaty in 2019, after both Washington and Moscow accused each other of violations. The treaty had banned ground-launched missiles with ranges between 500 and 5,500 kilometers. With its end, fears have grown that Europe could once again face the deployment of rapid-strike nuclear systems, reducing response times and increasing the risk of conflict triggered by false alarms.