"In the context of Russia's unilateral moratorium on the deployment of land-based intermediate-range nuclear forces, we are monitoring very closely any steps taken by the United States to implement destabilizing plans that involve the deployment of the aforementioned weapons. I would like to recall that the viability of the Russian moratorium is directly linked to the appearance in the relevant regions of US missiles. I would very much like to see this information brought to the attention of the US media," the spokeswoman said.
The US already deployed last year the then-prototype MK-70 launcher system to one of the European NATO countries as a "demonstration of the very possibility," Zakharova added.
The INF treaty, a cornerstone of the European security, was signed between the Soviet Union and the US in 1987, paving the way for the banning and destruction of all short- and intermediate-range ballistic and cruise missiles with ranges from 500-5,500 kilometers (310-3,415 miles) in Europe. In 2019, former US President Donald Trump withdrew from the treaty.