In a dramatic escalation of global nuclear tensions, Russia has officially exited the landmark 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, blaming aggressive Western policies and provocative U.S. military moves—particularly President Donald Trump's recent decision to deploy two nuclear submarines near Russian waters.

Russia’s Foreign Ministry declared that it no longer considers itself bound by the Soviet-era pact, which banned land-based missiles with ranges between 500 and 5,500 kilometers. “The actions of Western countries are creating a direct threat to the security of our country,” the ministry said, accusing the U.S. and NATO of destabilizing the strategic balance.

The move follows Trump’s high-profile announcement last Friday that he had ordered two American nuclear submarines to be “positioned in the appropriate regions” in response to fiery comments from former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.

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Medvedev, now deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council, lashed out at the West, saying, “This is a new reality all our opponents will have to reckon with. Expect further steps.” While he didn’t specify what Russia’s next actions would be, the tone signals a chilling revival of Cold War-era brinkmanship.

Washington initially pulled out of the INF Treaty in 2019, citing repeated violations by Moscow. Russia had until recently pledged not to deploy similar weapons unless the U.S. did so first. However, Russian officials now claim that the U.S. is moving forward with the deployment of short- and medium-range missiles in Europe and the Asia-Pacific, nullifying any reason to maintain a unilateral moratorium.

“The situation is clearly moving toward actual U.S. deployment of ground-based missiles,” said Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, reinforcing Russia’s stance that continued restraint is no longer viable.

Signed by U.S. President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, the INF Treaty was once hailed as a major step toward ending the arms race. Its collapse marks a dangerous turning point, as both superpowers openly resume development and potential deployment of banned weapons.

As rhetoric and military posturing intensify, the world now watches with growing unease—wondering if this standoff could spiral into something far more catastrophic.

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