“In fact, this is not news; the fact that the Americans are developing this missile has been known for a long time. They themselves did not particularly hide, this was recorded in the open part of their military budget. They need this potential of ground-based cruise missiles, ”the expert added.
Podberyozkin noted that the United States acted in this situation the same way as in the case of withdrawal from the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty.
“As with the ABM treaty: as long as they developed, they were at stages that were not prohibited by the treaty, as soon as there was a transition from the R&D (research and development work - RT ) stage to the test phase - this is already coming out beyond the scope of the contract - they withdraw from the contract. They deliberately went on violation of the ABM Treaty and also deliberately went on violation of the INF Treaty, ”the analyst explained.
According to Podberyozkin, the United States over the past thirty years has actively developed its potential of extended-range cruise missiles.
“That is, the accuracy of these missiles has increased ... so that these missiles can fulfill the function of a strategic weapon, that is, hit well-defended targets. Now they have created about four thousand sea-based cruise missiles, they will produce them with extended ranges and different types of ground-based cruise missiles of very different ranges, ”he concluded.
Earlier it became known that the United States tested a cruise missile prohibited by the INF Treaty.
As the Pentagon noted, the test missile "left the land mobile launcher and hit the target precisely after more than 500 km of flight."
On August 2, the INF Treaty was officially discontinued at the initiative of the United States.