Vladimir Putin orders Russia to respond after U.S. missile test

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Putin said the test is a testament to U.S. President Donald Trump's intentions to deploy missiles across the world banned by the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF), Reuters reports.

Officials say it successfully hit its target more than 300 miles away. The ground-launched version of the Tomahawk was removed from service after the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty was ratified in the late 1980s.

"China firmly opposes USA deployment of intermediate-range missiles in the Asia-Pacific and looks to the United States to be cool-headed and exercise restraint", said Zhang.

The US Department of Defense said Monday it had tested a type of ground-launched missile that was banned under the 1987 INF agreement, which limited the use of nuclear and conventional medium-range weapons.

"All this leaves no doubt about what the true plans of the United States are" he added, which in his view, included being free to to deploy "previously forbidden" missiles in various regions of the world, and close to Russian borders.

'As you know, we have never wanted, do not want and will not get involved in a costly, destructive arms race, ' Putin said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered his military to ready a "symmetrical response" to the test.

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Despite his order, Putin said Russian Federation remained open to talks with the United States aimed at restoring trust and strengthening global security.

He said that the United States is taking the necessary steps to address the threat posed by intermediate-range missile forces being deployed in ever larger numbers by Russian Federation and China.

He also added that the deployment of the US launchers on land, at the air defense base in Romania, and their forthcoming deployment in Poland are "a direct, significant and gross violation of the INF Treaty".

Putin also called a meeting of the United Nations Security Council to discuss the matter.

US Defense Secretary Mark Esper was asked in a Fox News Channel interview on Wednesday whether the test was aimed at sending a message to China, Russia or North Korea and indicated that the main concern was China.

The Interfax news agency quoted a retired Russian general, Vladimir Bogatyryov, as saying that Moscow could put such missiles in Cuba or Venezuela if the USA deploys new missiles near Russian borders.

The U.S. expressed the interest in the signing of the treaty on nuclear weapons control.

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