Russia urges U.S. to honor commitment to START treaty, slams NATO'S growing activities

MOSCOW, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- Russia on Wednesday called on the United States to observe the new Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START), and slammed the NATO of growing activities near its borders.

"This treaty is called the 'golden standard' in reaching global security agreements. It is alive and is being implemented today ... we should preserve this treaty," Russian Deputy Defense Minister Anatoly Antonov told a press briefing.

Moscow and Washington signed the agreement on measures to further reduce and limit strategic offensive weapons in April 2010.

The treaty limits the number of deployed strategic nuclear warheads to 1,550, and the number of deployed Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs), Satellite-Launched Ballistic Missiles (SLBMs), and heavy bombers equipped for nuclear armaments to 700.

Meanwhile, Antonov insisted that Russia's plans for creating a new generation of railroad-based ballistic missiles did not run counter to the treaty.

"The key provision of that treaty is to comply with the qualitative restrictions: the number of delivery vehicles and operational warheads," Tass news agency quoted him as saying.

The official also expressed concerns over the NATO's increasing military activities in countries bordering Russia.  Read More