Russia’s Putin vows ‘mirror measures’ in response to US missiles in Germany

Russia may deploy new weapons in response to the planned US deployment of long-range and hypersonic missiles in Germany, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Sunday.

Speaking at a naval parade in St. Petersburg, Putin vowed “mirror measures” after the US announced earlier this month that it would begin deploying the weapons in 2026, reaffirming his commitment to NATO and European defense after Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

“If the US carries out such plans, we will consider ourselves free from the previously imposed unilateral moratorium on the deployment of medium- and shorter-range weapons, including increasing the capabilities of our Navy’s coastal forces,” Putin said, adding that Moscow’s development of suitable systems is “at the final stage.”

Both Washington and Moscow have signaled in recent weeks their readiness to deploy ground-based medium-range weapons, which were banned for decades under a 1987 U.S.-Soviet treaty. The U.S. withdrew from the agreement in 2019, accusing Moscow of conducting missile tests in violation of the deal.

The accusations, which Russia denied, came as tensions between Moscow and the West mounted after the shooting down of a Malaysian airliner with 298 people on board over war-torn eastern Ukraine. Two Russians and a pro-Moscow Ukrainian were eventually convicted for their roles in the attack.

Washington and Berlin said in a joint statement this month that the U.S. weapons deployed to Germany will eventually include SM-6 missiles, Tomahawk cruise missiles and “developmental hypersonic weapons,” including those with significantly longer ranges than those currently stationed across Europe.

Most Russian missile systems can carry conventional or nuclear warheads. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said last week that the Kremlin did not rule out new nuclear missile deployments in response to the U.S. move.

Ryabkov added that the defense of Kaliningrad, Russia’s heavily militarized enclave sandwiched between NATO members Poland and Lithuania, is a particular concern.

For years, Putin has portrayed the U.S. deployment of missile infrastructure in Europe as an aggressive move aimed at limiting Moscow’s capabilities. News of the planned deployment of new weapons in Germany came at a NATO summit in Washington earlier this month. At the same event, allies announced that a new U.S. base in Ukraine’s western neighbor, Poland, is ready to go live and will be able to intercept ballistic missiles.