Chinanews, June 18, according to Russian satellite network reports, on the 18th local time, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that Russia will withdraw from the "Open Sky Treaty" on December 18, 2021.
Data map: US military aircraft.
The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs also pointed out that all responsibility for the collapse of the "Open Skies Treaty" rests with the United States.
The "Open Skies Treaty" was signed in 1992 and entered into force in 2002.
According to the treaty, the states parties can conduct unarmed air reconnaissance on each other's territory to verify the other party's implementation of the international arms control treaty.
The treaty states once included Russia, the United States and most NATO countries.
In May 2020, the then-U.S. President Trump accused Russia of violating the "Open Skies Treaty," and the US State Department immediately notified other parties to the treaty of its withdrawal decision.
In November 2020, the United States announced its formal withdrawal from the treaty.
In January 2021, Russia decided to open the domestic procedures for withdrawing from the Open Skies Treaty. The relevant draft laws were passed in the Russian State Duma and the Federal Council (the upper house of parliament) on May 19 and June 2 respectively.
On June 7, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a draft law to withdraw from the "Open Skies Treaty."