Russia should start producing previously banned midrange missiles, President Putin said Friday, as Moscow warned the US that dro

Russia should start producing previously banned midrange missiles, President Putin said Friday, as Moscow warned the US that drone reconnaissance flights over the Black Sea risked a “direct“ military clash. The call to bolster Russia’s military arsenal came days after Moscow angrily blamed the US for a Ukrainian strike in Crimea that it says used US ATACMS cluster munitions, killing four civilians. Russia has pledged a tough response to what it calls increased US involvement in the conflict. Putin said Russia needed to start manufacturing missiles that were previously banned under a now-defunct Cold War treaty. The US had recently sent midrange missiles — able to strike targets at a distance of 500 to 5,500 kilometres — to Denmark for training exercises. Such missiles,were previously banned under the INF Treaty, but Washington terminated the deal in 2019, blaming Russia for not complying with its terms. -AFP US left the INF because they wanted these missiles to counter China. ... Source: Slavyangrad