London's decision to boost nuclear capabilities is dealing a serious blow to the very concept of arms control, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told Sputnik on Wednesday.
According to the diplomat, London's new strategy regarding nuclear stockpliles is unmotivated, politically harmful, and erodes global security, while also undermining the unity of the five recognised nuclear-weapon states vis-a-vis arms control.
Echoing Ryabkov's statements, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told journalists on Wednesday that the UK's move is deplorable and hampers global stability and security.
He added that any implications of a "Russian threat" as an excuse to boost nuclear stockpiles was wrong, and the said "threat" is imaginary.
On Tuesday, the United Kingdom presented a new defence strategy, which states that the nation will be increasing the limit of its warheads from 180 to 260 over the "evolving security environment", while also vowing to deter the "full spectrum of threats" from Russia. The document also named China as a potential threat to the country's economic security.