Russia suspended United Stated of America’s on-site inspections under New START Treaty.
About New START Treaty
- The New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) pact limits the number of deployed nuclear warheads, missiles and bombers.
- The treaty limits the US and Russia to a maximum of 1,550 deployed nuclear warheads and 700 deployed missiles and bombers, well below Cold War caps.
- The treaty was to expire in 2021. But it has been extended for five more years, i.e. till February 2026.
- It was signed in 2010 by former US President Barack Obama and then-Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.
- The treaty had replaced the 1991 START I treaty which expired in 2009. It is one of the key controls on superpower deployment of nuclear weapons.
- Russia has agreed to extend this Treaty.
Various Treaties signed Between USA & Russia
SALT (Strategic Arms Limitation Talks) – 1969: Initiated in 1969, SALT commenced with the Interim Agreement, wherein both the United States and the Soviet Union committed to refrain from constructing new Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) silos. The agreement also prohibited a significant expansion of existing ICBM silos and established caps on the number of Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missile (SLBM) launch tubes and submarines carrying SLBMs.
START I (Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty) – 1991: Signed in 1991, START I mandated the destruction of excess delivery vehicles. A robust verification regime, featuring on-site inspections, regular information exchange (including telemetry), and the use of national technical means such as satellites, was implemented to ensure compliance.
START II (Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty) – 1993: In 1993, START II was signed, aiming to reduce deployed strategic arsenals to a range of 3,000-3,500 warheads. The treaty also prohibited the deployment of destabilizing multiple-warhead land-based missiles.
SORT (Strategic Offensive Reductions Treaty) – 2004: The year 2004 saw the signing of SORT, wherein the United States and Russia committed to reducing their strategic arsenals to 1,700-2,200 warheads each.
START III (Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty) – 2010: Signed in 2010, START III is a legally binding and verifiable agreement limiting each side to 1,550 strategic nuclear warheads deployed on 700 strategic delivery systems, including ICBMs, SLBMs, and heavy bombers. Additionally, the treaty set limits on deployed and non-deployed launchers, capping them at 800.
Why Russia Suspended the Inspection?
- It is difficult for Russia to carry out inspections on American soil due to Western sanctions including the closure of air space for Russian planes and visa restrictions.
- It also pointed to a new spike in coronavirus cases in the United States.
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