Russia's Top General: Cutting Nuclear Forces Not Possible With Missile Defense

Army General Valery Gerasimov. © RIA Novosti. Vitaliy Belousov

Missile Defense Obstructs Nuclear Forces Cuts - General -- RIA Novosti

MOSCOW, May 23 (RIA Novosti) – The United States’ insistence on pursuing a missile defense system in Europe is standing in the way of further cuts to Russia’s nuclear deterrent forces, Russia’s top general said on Thursday at an international security conference in Moscow.

“Russia will cut its strategic attack force only when it is certain that the United States’ development of global missile defense will not undermine its nuclear deterrent potential,” Chief of the General Staff, Army General Valery Gerasimov said at the start of the two-day Military and Political Aspects of European Security conference.

The event brings together senior defense officials from Russia, the EU, the United States and Canada, as well as independent military and political experts.

Read more ....

My Comment: The Russians are assuming the worse .... even though the US missile defense system is still plagued by technical doubts.