"These 'missions' include the elements of nuclear planning and training of practical skills of the use of nuclear weapons with the aid of carrier aircraft, their crews, infrastructure of airfields and ground services of NATO's non-nuclear states. This is a direct violation of the Articles I and II of the NPT," the ministry said, commenting on NATO's joint nuclear missions.
Washington dramatically curtailed arms control and nonproliferation discussions in 2014 and restricted contacts between the US and Russian militaries. This decision was made despite the implementation of the Treaty on Measures for the Further Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms (New START), which was signed in Prague, the Czech Republic, on April 8, 2010. As of February 5, 2011, New START would be in effect for 10 years with the possibility of prolongation. The United States' plans to place Aegis ashore ballistic missile defense system (Aegis BMDS) in NATO member states were regarded by Russia as a threat to its national security. Unwilling to take Russian concerns into account, Washington suspended its dialogue on this matter before a crisis broke out in Ukraine.
