Russia is able to produce ground-based intermediate and shorter-range missiles within six month, should the US make steps on development, production and deployment of such missiles in third countries, says Russia’s Federation Council Committee on Defense and Security head Viktor Bondarev, Eurasia Diary reports citing TASS.
"Considering the equipment our factories have, the scientific potential our military institutes, design bureaus and companies have, we are able to fill this gap - the absence of ground-based intermediate and shorter range missiles - in the most minimal time span. We often visit the industry factories, we see their equipment. Of course we might be unable to create a new missile very fast, but it is possible to bring a missile to tests within six to twelve months, and then we will have [such] missile," Bondarev said.
He underscored that Russia currently has air defense systems, S-300 and S-400 in particular, so "it can defend itself."
The senator believes that the option to re-negotiate the INF Treaty persists. He did not rule out that other nations might join the new Treaty, as well.