MOSCOW, October 7. /TASS/: Russia is honoring its commitments under the Treaty on Measures for the Further Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms (the New START Treaty), according to the data posted by the US Department of State on its website on Monday.
The data are given as of September 1, 2019 and reflect the statistics provided by both sides.
As the fact sheet indicates, Russia possesses 513 deployed intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), deployed submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) and deployed heavy bombers with 1,426 warheads. The United States possesses 668 launch vehicles with 1,376 warheads.
On the whole, Russia has 757 deployed and non-deployed launchers of ICBMs, SLBMs, and heavy bombers compared to the US 800 deployed and non-deployed launch vehicles.
Compared to February 5 last year, Russia has cut its warheads by 18 and its deployed launch vehicles by 14. The US has reduced its deployed launchers by 16 but increased its warheads on launch vehicles by 26, the fact sheet suggests.
The Treaty between the United States of America and the Russian Federation on Measures for the Further Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms (the New START Treaty) was signed in 2010 and entered into force on February 5, 2011.
The document stipulates that seven years after its entry into effect each party should have no more than a total of 700 deployed intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) and strategic bombers, as well as no more than 1,550 warheads on deployed ICBMs, deployed SLBMs and strategic bombers, and a total of 800 deployed and non-deployed ICBM launchers, SLBM launchers and strategic bombers.
The New START Treaty obliges the parties to exchange information on the number of warheads and carriers twice a year.
The New START Treaty will remain in force for 10 years until 2021, unless superseded by a subsequent agreement. It may be extended for a period of no more than five years (i.e. until 2026) upon the parties’ mutual consent.
Moscow has repeatedly called on Washington not to delay the issue of the Treaty’s possible prolongation.
