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START II cancellation gives Russia more flexibility to
build strategic nuclear forces - defense minister
MOSCOW. June 19 (Interfax) - Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov said that the cancellation of START II "gives Russia much more flexibility in building and planning its strategic nuclear forces."
At the same time, both Russia and the United States realize perfectly well that the Cold War era "when both sides could have destroyed each other several times have passed," he said.
"Therefore, there is no need for the existence of such strategic nuclear forces," Ivanov said.
After the United States withdrew from the ABM treaty, the START-II consequently lost its effect. Now, Russia has freedom of choice in planning "the further development of its armed forces," he said.
These forces will be maintained at a level "that allows us to use nuclear weapons as a reliable political means of averting aggression against our country," Ivanov said.
He stressed that Russia will approach the development of its nuclear forces depending on "what is beneficial, more effective and inexpensive for us, not on what is or is not permitted, because the [START-II] restrictions have been dropped."
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