US and Russia agree on nuclear arms reduction

Moscow and Washington have agreed to reduce their nuclear arsenals to the promised levels in seven years as per new Russia-US strategic arms reduction treaty.

“The main result of the negotiations is a cut of more than 30% in Russian and US strategic offensive weapons. The treaty will have a validity term of ten years, and the established parameters are to be reached within seven years,” Russia’s RIA Novosti news agency quoted General Nikolai Makarov as saying.

Under the new treaty, the number of nuclear warheads is to be reduced to 1,550 on each side. It also stipulates that strategic offensive weapons are to be based solely on the national territories of Russia and the United States.

“The agreements lift mutual concerns and meet Russia’s interests in full,” Makarov said.

The deal is to be signed by the presidents of Russia and the United States on April 8 in Prague. The signed deal has to be ratified by the parliaments of the two states in order to come into effect.

The number of delivery vehicles, deployed and non-deployed intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launchers, submarine launched ballistic missile (SLBM) launchers, and heavy bombers equipped for nuclear weapons, must not exceed 800 on each side.