Russia has officially withdrawn from the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, saying it no longer feels bound by the agreement. The announcement comes shortly after U.S. President Donald Trump ordered two nuclear submarines to be positioned near Russia.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said that actions by Western countries, especially the U.S. and NATO, have created direct threats to its security. It stated that the conditions for maintaining the self-imposed moratorium on deploying short- and medium-range nuclear missiles no longer exist.

Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev blamed NATO for the situation and said Russia would take further steps. He added that all opponents must accept the new reality, though he did not specify what those steps might be.

What is the INF Treaty

The INF Treaty, a Cold War-era agreement signed by former U.S. President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, banned land-based nuclear missiles with ranges between 500 and 5,500 kilometres. Russia had continued to observe a self-imposed moratorium on deploying such weapons, even after the U.S. formally withdrew from the treaty in 2019, citing violations by Moscow.

Now, Russian officials say that Western actions, particularly those of the U.S. and NATO, have made it impossible to maintain those restrictions. The Russian Foreign Ministry stated that the current global security situation has changed dramatically, accusing the West of deploying "destabilising missile systems" that pose a direct threat to Russia.

Just days before this announcement, President Trump revealed that he had ordered two U.S. nuclear submarines to be moved closer to Russia, a decision made in response to rising tensions and recent remarks from Russian officials about the possibility of conflict.

Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, now the deputy head of Russia’s Security Council, blamed NATO for forcing Moscow's hand. He warned that Russia will take further action in response, saying: “This is a new reality all our opponents will have to reckon with. Expect further steps.” Medvedev, once seen as a moderate voice in Russian politics, has recently become one of the most outspoken hawks in the Kremlin, often trading sharp jabs with Trump on social media.

Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov had previously signalled that Moscow would not stand by if the U.S. or its allies began deploying medium- and short-range missile systems in Europe or the Asia-Pacific region. With the U.S. now reportedly moving in that direction, Russian officials argue there is no longer any reason to uphold the treaty’s restrictions.The breakdown of the INF Treaty marks a worrying shift in global arms control efforts, with both nations appearing to inch closer toward a renewed era of nuclear brinkmanship.