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According To The Associated Press

MOSCOW-President Vladimir Putin ordered the Russian military on Friday to work out a response after testing a new American missile banned under a now-defunct weapons Treaty.

In Sunday’s test, a modified ground-based version of the U.S. Navy’s Tomahawk cruise missile accurately hit arangia more than 500 kilometers (310 miles) away. The test was thawed after Moscow and Washington withdrew from the 1987 intermediate-range nuclear forces (I. N. F.) Treaty.

Speaking at a Security Council meeting, Putin said the US was waging a “propaganda campaign” claiming that Russia was violating the Pact to ” free its hands to deploy previously banned missiles in various parts of the world.”

He instructed the defense Ministry and other agencies to ” take comprehensive measures to prepare a symmetrical response.”

The US has said it withdrew from the Treaty because of violations by Russia, which Moscow denies.

In an interview this week with Fox News, defense Secretary mark Esper said that the Russian cruise missiles Washington has long claimed were a violation of the now-defunct intermediate-range nuclear forces, or I. N. F., Treaty, could be armed with nuclear Warheads.

The Russian leader noted that Sunday’s test was conducted from a launcher similar to the one deployed at the U.S. missile DEFENSE facility in Romania. He argued that the Romanian facility and a prospective similar facility in Poland could also be loaded with missiles designed to hit ground targets rather than interceptors.

Putin had previously promised that Russia would not deploy missiles previously banned by the INF Treaty in any area before the US did so in the first place, but on Friday he noted that the use of a universal launcher meant a covert deployment was possible.

Pentagon spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Robert Carver denied Mr Putin’s claim that the us land-based missile defence system in Romania could be used to launch land-based missiles. He said the us launch system in Romania, known as Aegis Ashore, “does not have the capability to fire offensive weapons of any kind,” including a cruise missile similar to the Tomahawk variant used in the us test on August 18.

“It can only launch an SM-3 interceptor that does not carry explosive warheads, “Carver said, adding that it would take” industrial-level construction to reconfigure it to fire offensive weapons. Such a reconfiguration will entail significant changes in hardware and software.”

Russia has long argued that American launchers loaded with MISSILE defense interceptors can be used to fire surface-to-surface missiles. Putin said Sunday’s inspection proved that the U.S. denials were false.

“Now it is undeniable,” the Russian leader said.

He added that the missile test, which was conducted just 16 days after the termination of the RSFSR Treaty, showed that the US had long begun work on new systems prohibited by the Treaty.

While Mr. Putin did not specify possible retaliation, some Moscow military experts said Russia could adapt sea-launched Kalibr cruise missiles for use from land-based launchers.

The Interfax news Agency quoted retired Russian General Vladimir Bogatyrev as saying Moscow could deploy such missiles in Cuba or Venezuela if the US placed new missiles near Russian borders.

According to Putin, Russia will continue to work on new weapons in response to the us steps, but will keep costs on hold.

“We will not be drawn into a costly arms race that will have catastrophic consequences for our economy,” Putin said, adding that Russia ranks seventh in military spending after the United States, China, Saudi Arabia, Britain, France and Japan.

He added that Russia remains open to ” an equal and constructive dialogue with the United States to restore mutual trust and strengthen international security.”

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