This file is no longer being updated.  For more recent developments, please see the Strategic Forces General Developments file.

To return to the main Nuclear Disarmament Treaties and Agreements entry, see the Arms Control Treaties and Agreements file
To return to the main INF entry, see the INF Treaty Overview file

5/31/2001: INF INSPECTION AND MONITORING ACTIVITIES CEASE
On 31 May 2001 all inspection and monitoring activities related to verifying the provisions of the INF Treaty officially stopped. In the 13 years of the treaty's existence, INF-inspectable sites in the United States underwent over 440 inspections, whereas INF-inspectable sites on the territory of Soviet Union and successor states were visited over 770 times. In addition to the on-site inspections, the United States and Russia maintained permanent groups of observers at monitoring portals at plants that formerly produced treaty-banned missiles in Votkinsk (Udmurtiya) and Magna (Utah), respectively. While the inspection and monitoring activities have ended, the treaty remains in force.
["O zavershenii inspektsionnoy deyatelnosti po Dogovoru mezhdu SSSR i SShA o likvidatsii ikh raket sredney i menshey dalnosti (RSMD)," Announcement by Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Representative A.V. Yakovenko, 1 June 2001.] {Entered 6/21/2001 MJ} 
 
2/28/2001: RUSSIAN GENERALS CLASH OVER INF TREATY 
On 28 March 2001 National Nuclear Risk Reduction Center Chief Lieutenant General Vyacheslav Romanov stated that in the event of US withdrawal from the ABM Treaty Russia might stop adhering to the INF Treaty. Other possible reactions to US withdrawal from the ABM Treaty named by Romanov included reconsidering the bans on "heavy" and MIRVed ICBMs contained in START I and II. Similar ideas were previously voiced by SRF Commander General Yakovlev. If the United States were to withdraw from the ABM Treaty, Russia might deploy a "shortened," intermediate-range variant of the Topol [NATO designation SS-25 'Sickle'] missile and a new short-range ballistic missile type that has already been designed, but not built or tested, whose performance would exceed that of the Iskander-E tactical ballistic missile.[1] Romanov drew a sharp rebuke from Minister of Defense Sergeyev for voicing these ideas.[2]
Sources:
[1] Aleksandr Shaburkin, "Rossiyskiye generaly proveryayut nervy yevropeytsev na prochnost," Vremya MN, 1 March 2001.
[2] "Sergeyev oproverg utverzhdeniya o tom, chto yesli SShA razvernut svoyu sistemu PRO, RF razvernet rakety maloy i sredney dalnosti s yadernymi boyegolovkami," Interfax, 1 March 2001.{Entered 6/22/2001 MJ}

1/4/2001: FOREIGN MINISTRY STATEMENT ON ALLEGED US INF TREATY VIOLATIONS
A Russian Foreign Ministry statement issued on 4 January 2001 accused the United States of violating START I by failing to use treaty-approved elimination procedures for the second and third stages of Peacekeeper (MX) ICBMs.  The statement also warned that the US government would be in violation of the INF Treaty if these stages were used to create an IRBM under the guise of designing a ballistic missile target. The statement also claims that the Hera ballistic missile target, which uses Minuteman II stages, is in fact an IRBM and its existence constitutes a violation of the INF Treaty.
["O narusheniyakh SShA Dogovora SNV-1," Diplomaticheskiy vestnik, February 2001, p. 68.] {Entered 6/25/2001 MJ}
 
12/14/2000: AMENDMENT ON ENDING INSPECTIONS AND MONITORING REGIME SIGNED
On 14 December 2001 in Geneva representatives of the United States, Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, and Kazakhstan signed an amendment to the INF Treaty's Memorandum of Agreement outlining the procedures for ending on-site inspections and the monitoring regime of the missile production plants located in Magna (Utah), and Votkinsk (Udmurtiya). While the INF Treaty is of indefinite duration, the inspection and monitoring regime will expire on 31 May 2001.[1,2]
Sources:
[1] "Predstaviteli SShA, Belarusi, Kazakhstana, Rossii i Ukrainy podpisali popravku k memorandumu o Dogovore o yadernykh silakh sredney dalnosti," BelaPAN, 18 December 2000. 
[2] Wendy Lubetkin, "Two Sets of Arms Control Agreements Signed in Geneva," U.S. Department of State International Information Programs, Washington File Web Site, http://usinfo.state.gov/products/washfile.htm, 11 December 2001. {Entered 6/21/2001 MJ}
 
11/15/2000: RUSSIA MAY ACCUSE UNITED STATES OF VIOLATING INF TREATY
Citing "informed sources," ITAR-TASS reported on 15 November 2000 that Russia considers the existence of the Hera ballistic missile target to be a violation of the INF Treaty. Hera ballistic missile targets, which utilize the second and third stages of Minuteman II ICBMs, are used by the United States to simulate hostile ballistic missiles in tests of theater ABM systems, such as THAAD and Patriot PAC-3. The US government considers the Hera to be INF-compliant under Article 12 of the treaty, which allows the use of existing missile stages for scientific purposes, whereas Russia reportedly considers it to be an intermediate-range ballistic missile.[1] A separate ITAR-TASS report issued on the same day, also citing "informed sources" in Moscow, claimed that the Hera's alleged use of Pershing II IRBM guidance systems and flight tests at the White Sands Proving Ground further confirmed that it was a mobile nuclear-capable IRBM whose existence violates the INF Treaty.[2] The Russian Defense Ministry is reportedly concerned that Minuteman III modernization programs might considerably improve the capabilities of the Hera, extending its range to 5000km from the current 1000km through the use of retired Minuteman III stages. Military experts noted that the deployment of such missiles in Europe would force other states to seek appropriate countermeasures.[3] According to "informed sources in force structures" cited in a 24 November 2000 article in Nezavisimoye voyennoye obozreniye, Russia may in the near future officially accuse the United States of violating the treaty. The article also speculates that the leaks of information concerning this issue may presage a Russian diplomatic offensive aimed at dissuading US government from withdrawing from the ABM Treaty.[4] 
Sources: 
[1] "Rossiya nastaivayet na zapreshchenii ispytaniy amerikanskoy rakety sredney dalnosti 'Gera', narushayushchimi Dogovor o RSMD," ITAR-TASS, 15 November 2000; in Integrum Techno, http://www.integrum.ru/.
[2] "Pri ispytaniyakh amerikanskoy rakety 'Gera' ispolzuyetsya sistema navedeniya rakety 'Pershing 2', zapreshchennoy Dogovorom RSMD," ITAR-TASS, 15 November 2000; in Integrum Techno, http://www.integrum.ru/.
[3] "Glubokaya modernizatsiya amerikanskikh MBR 'Minitmen-3' sozdast dopolnotelnyye vozmozhnosti dlya proizvodstva raket 'Gera'," ITAR-TASS, 27 November 2000; in Integrum Techno, http://www.integrum.ru/.
[4] Sergey Sokut, "Vashyngton nashel zamenu 'Pershingam'," Nezavisimoye voyennoye obozreniye, 24 November 2000, p. 1. {Entered 6/25/2001 MJ}
 
6/21/2000: SRF CHIEF YAKOVLEV LINKS INF TREATY'S FUTURE WITH ABM TREATY
In a speech delivered to the graduates of Peter the Great Missile Academy, SRF Commander in Chief General Vladimir Yakovlev cited a range of possible "asymmetrical" measures Russia might take if the United States withdraws from the ABM Treaty. They included abandoning the INF Treaty and deploying intermediate-range missiles that have been banned by the treaty. According to Yakovlev, these missiles would be targeted against US military forces and facilities in Europe. He also said that the Russian government has studied this issue at length and has prepared appropriate plans to implement this option.[1] Responding to a reporter's question about whether such move would make Europe a hostage to US-Russian rivalry, Yakovlev said that this could be avoided if dialogue on Vladimir Putin's proposals for European non-strategic missile defense were maintained.[2] According to the 4th Central Scientific Research Institute Chief, General Vladimir Dvorkin, Russia could reintroduce INF-banned Pioner [NATO designation SS-20 'Saber'] IRBMs by shortening Topol [NATO designation SS-25 'Sickle'] ICBMs by one stage and increasing their payload from one to three warheads. According to some sources, Yakovlev's statement was sanctioned by the government in order to deter the United States from going forward with national missile defense plans. Russian journalists noted, however, that Russian IRBM deployments might lead to a US reply in kind, an outcome which, on balance, would be detrimental to Russian security interests.[1]
Source:
[1] Oleg Odnokolenko, "Wait For a Response," Segodnya, 22 June 2000, p. 1; in "Missile Chief Says Russia Could Pull Out of INF Treaty Over NMD," FBIS Document CEP20000622000085.
[2] Svetlana Sorokina, "Hero of the Day" TV Program, NTV, 22 June 2000; in "Yakovlev Says 'Asymmetrical Measures' Cheaper Than Anti-Missile Defense System," FBIS Document CEP20000622000323. {Entered 6/22/2001 MJ}

Page last updated 17 June 2004. This page is no longer being updated.  Please see the Strategic Forces General Developments file for more recent developments.

Comments or questions? Contact Nikolai Sokov (nsokovATmiis.edu) at MIIS CNS.

This material is produced independently for NTI by the Center for Nonproliferation Studies at the Monterey Institute of International Studies and does not necessarily reflect the opinions of and has not been independently verified by NTI or its directors, officers, employees, agents. Copyright © 2002 by MIIS.

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