MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin said Russia is militarily ready for a Cuban Missile-style crisis if the United States wanted one and threatened to place hypersonic nuclear missiles on ships or submarines near U.S. territorial waters.

The Cuban Missile Crisis erupted in 1962 when Moscow responded to a U.S. missile deployment in Turkey by sending ballistic missiles to Cuba, sparking a standoff that brought the world to the brink of nuclear war.

More than five decades on, tensions are rising again over Russian fears that the United States might deploy intermediate-range nuclear missiles in Europe, as a landmark Cold War-era arms-control treaty unravels.

Putin’s comments, made to Russian media late on Wednesday, follow his warning that Moscow will match any U.S. move to deploy new missiles closer to Russia by stationing its own missiles closer to the United States or by deploying faster missiles or both.

Putin detailed his warning for the first time, saying Russia could deploy hypersonic missiles on ships and submarines which could lurk outside U.S. territorial waters if Washington now moved to deploy intermediate-range nuclear weapons in Europe.

“(We’re talking about) naval delivery vehicles: submarines or surface ships. And we can put them, given the speed and range (of our missiles)... in neutral waters. Plus they are not stationary, they move and they will have to find them,” Putin said, according to a Kremlin transcript.

“You work it out: Mach nine (the speed of the missiles) and over 1,000 km (their range).”

TREATY VIOLATIONS

The State Department dismissed Putin’s earlier warning as propaganda, saying it was designed to divert attention from what Washington alleges are Moscow’s violations of the Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty.

It referred queries about Putin’s latest remarks to the Pentagon, which did not immediately respond.

The INF pact bans Russia and the United States from stationing short- and intermediate-range land-based missiles in Europe. Washington announced on Feb. 1 it will withdraw from the treaty in six months unless Moscow ends its alleged violations.

Analyst Kingston Reif of the Arms Control Association think tank said Putin may be seeking to signal that Russia can keep up with the United States, to distract from its internal problems or to deflect blame for the parlous state of the INF treaty.

“He may also be trying to send the message that, look, neither side should want this world (of a new arms race) so we should sit down and resume discussions,” Reif said.

Putin has said he does not want an arms race but would have no choice but to act if Washington deployed new missiles in Europe, some of which he says could strike Moscow within 10 to 12 minutes.

The United States does not currently have ground-based intermediate-range nuclear missiles that it could place in Europe but could develop and deploy them if the INF treaty collapses.

Putin said his naval response to such a move would mean Russia could strike the United States faster than U.S. missiles deployed in Europe could hit Moscow because the flight time would be shorter.

“It (the calculation) would not be in their favor, at least as things stand today. That’s for sure.” said Putin.

Relations between Moscow and Washington were strained, he added, but the tensions were not comparable to those of the Cuban Missile Crisis.

Russian President Vladimir Putin addresses the Federal Assembly, including the State Duma parliamentarians, members of the Federation Council, regional governors and other high-ranking officials, in Moscow, Russia February 20, 2019. Sputnik/Alexei Nikolsky/Kremlin via REUTERS

“They (the tensions) are not a reason to ratchet up confrontation to the levels of the Cuban Missile Crisis in the 1960s. In any case that’s not what we want,” said Putin. “If someone wants that, well OK they are welcome. I have set out today what that would mean. Let them count (the missile flight times).”

Separately, Washington said on Thursday that it was carrying out an observation flight over Russia under the Open Skies Treaty, the first one since 2017.

In a statement, the Pentagon said an unarmed OC-135B aircraft was being used and Russia was aware of the flight.</s>MOSCOW (Reuters) - President Vladimir Putin has said that Russia is militarily ready for a Cuban Missile-style crisis if the United States is foolish enough to want one and that his country currently has the edge when it comes to a first nuclear strike.

The Cuban Missile Crisis erupted in 1962 when Moscow responded to a U.S. missile deployment in Turkey by sending ballistic missiles to Cuba, sparking a standoff that brought the world to the brink of nuclear war.

More than five decades on, tensions are rising again over Russian fears that the United States might deploy intermediate-range nuclear missiles in Europe as a landmark Cold war-era arms control treaty unravels.

Putin’s comments, made to Russian media late on Wednesday, follow his warning that Moscow will match any U.S. move to deploy new missiles closer to Russia by stationing its own missiles closer to the United States or by deploying faster missiles or both.

Putin fleshed out his warning in detail for the first time, saying Russia could deploy hypersonic missiles on ships and submarines which could lurk outside U.S. territorial waters if Washington now moved to deploy intermediate-range nuclear weapons in Europe.

“(We’re talking about) naval delivery vehicles: submarines or surface ships. And we can put them, given the speed and range (of our missiles)... in neutral waters. Plus they are not stationary, they move and they will have to find them,” Putin said, according to a Kremlin transcript.

“You work it out. Mach nine (the speed of the missiles) and over 1,000 km (their range).”

The U.S. State Department dismissed Putin’s earlier warning as propaganda, saying it was designed to divert attention from what Washington alleges are Moscow’s violations of the Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty.

The pact, which banned Russia and the United States from stationing short- and intermediate-range, land-based missiles in Europe, is in its death throes, raising the prospect of a new arms race between Washington and Moscow.

Putin has said he does not want an arms race with the United States, but that he would have no choice but to act if Washington deployed new missiles in Europe, some of which he says would be able to strike Moscow within 10-12 minutes.

Putin said his naval response to such a move would mean Russia could strike the United States faster than U.S. missiles deployed in Europe could hit Moscow because the flight time would be shorter.

“It (the calculation) would not be in their favour, at least as things stand today. That’s for sure.” said Putin.

Relations between Moscow and Washington were strained, he added, but the tensions were not comparable to those of the Cuban Missile Crisis.

“They (the tensions) are not a reason to ratchet up confrontation to the levels of the Cuban Missile Crisis in the 1960s. In any case that’s not what we want,” said Putin. “If someone wants that, well OK they are welcome. I have set out today what that would mean. Let them count (the missile flight times).”</s>Russia's military is ready for a Cuban Missile-style crisis if the United States is foolish enough to want one and Moscow has the edge when it comes to a nuclear-first strike, President Vladimir Putin said.

Putin's comments, made to Russian media late on Wednesday, follow his warning that Moscow will match any US move to deploy new missiles closer to Russia by targeting Western capitals with faster missiles of its own.

The Cuban Missile Crisis erupted in 1962 when Moscow responded to a US missile deployment in Turkey by sending ballistic missiles to Cuba - 150km from the United States - sparking a standoff that brought the world to the brink of nuclear war.

More than five decades on, tensions are rising again over Russian fears the US might deploy intermediate-range nuclear missiles in Europe as a landmark Cold war-era arms control treaty unravels.

Relations between Moscow and Washington were strained, Putin said, but tensions were not yet comparable to those of the Cuban Missile Crisis.

"They [tensions] are not a reason to ratchet up confrontation to the levels of the Cuban Missile Crisis in the 1960s. In any case, that's not what we want," said Russia's president. "[But] if someone wants that, well okay they are welcome."

Putin said Russia could deploy hypersonic missiles on ships and submarines, which could lurk outside US territorial waters if Washington moved to deploy new nuclear weapons in Europe.

"[We're talking about] naval delivery vehicles: submarines or surface ships. And we can put them, given the speed and range [of our missiles] ... in neutral waters. Plus they are not stationary, they move and they will have to find them," Putin said, according to a Kremlin transcript.

"You work it out. Mach nine [the speed of the missiles] and over 1,000km [their range]."

The US State Department dismissed Putin's earlier warning as propaganda, saying it was designed to divert attention from what Washington alleges are Moscow's violations of the Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty.

The pact, which banned Russia and the United States from stationing short and intermediate-range, land-based missiles in Europe, is in its death throes raising the prospect of a new arms race.

Putin has said he does not want an arms race with the United States but he would have no choice but to act if Washington deployed new missiles in Europe, some of which he says would be able to strike Moscow within 10-12 minutes.

Putin said his naval response to such a move would mean Russia could strike the United States faster than US missiles could hit Moscow.

"It [the calculation] would not be in their favour, at least as things stand today. That's for sure," said Putin.

Despite Putin's boasts of military prowess, Russia's armed forces are not as capable or modern as its annual Red Square military parades suggest, Western diplomats and military experts say.

Putin has long projected an image of military might to strengthen his and Moscow's image at home and abroad, but Russia is overhauling its military far more slowly than China, observers say.

"Moscow's problems mean its ability to project conventional military force - something it is doing in Syria and has done in Ukraine - is not as great as the Kremlin would have the world believe," said one Western official with knowledge of Russia's military.

Moscow has a shortage of modern factories and skilled labour, and does not have the available financial resources needed to reverse decades of post-Soviet decline as quickly as it wants, Russian officials and military analysts say.

Andrei Frolov, editor-in-chief of Russian magazine Arms Exports, said Russia had successfully produced prototypes of new weapons systems, but struggled to move to serial production.

In his speech on Wednesday, Putin did not mention the navy's problems.

The programme to build Russia's most advanced stealth frigate, the Admiral Gorshkov-class, has been paralysed by sanctions. Russia hopes to add 14 more such ships to its navy, but has no engines for 12 of those vessels.

The air force has also been an issue. Moscow had initially been expected to procure about 150 of the fifth-generation Su-57 stealth fighter jet, but defence industry and government officials say they now expect just one plane, the first serially produced aircraft, this year. A further 14 may follow.

Analysts say the costs of mass-producing the new fighter jet are simply beyond Russia. Plans for Russia's super tank have also foundered.

That does not mean Russia's military is not a force to be reckoned. Some of its hardware, such as its S-400 air defence systems, is world-class.

Putin has also spent heavily on missile technology, unveiling new hypersonic systems.

But Russia's air force and army, like its navy, are experiencing re-armament problems. Its new stealth fighter first took to the air more than nine years ago and a super tank made its Red Square debut almost four years ago. Neither is due to be deployed in large numbers soon, government officials say.

Richard Connolly, a Russia specialist at the University of Birmingham, said Moscow's military might should not be underestimated, but Russia was still suffering from the legacy of an economic crisis that followed the Soviet Union's collapse, hitting state arms orders and the military-industrial complex.

"It's not as easy as simply saying, 'Right, we've got the money so go and make it happen', because a lot of the shipyards have rusted," Connolly said.</s>Vladimir Putin says Russia will not move missiles closer to US unless American missiles move first

Vladimir Putin said he will match any move by the United States to deploy new nuclear missiles closer to Russia by stationing its own missiles closer to the US, or by deploying faster missiles, or both.

The Russian President said he was not seeking confrontation and would not take the first step to deploy missiles in response to the US Government's decision this month to quit a landmark Cold War-era arms control treaty.

But, in his toughest remarks yet on a potential new arms race, he said Russia's reaction to any deployment would be resolute and that US leaders should calculate the risks before taking any steps.

"It's their right to think how they want, but can they count? I'm sure they can.

"Russia will be forced to create and deploy types of weapons that can be used not only in respect of those territories from which the direct threat to us originates, but also in respect of those territories where the centres of decision-making are located," he said.

"These weapons, by their tactical and technical specifications, including their flight time to the command centres I'm talking about, will fully correspond to the threats that will be directed against Russia."

The US State Department dismissed Mr Putin's comments as "propaganda" designed to divert attention from what Washington alleges are Moscow's violations of the Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty.

The State Department said Washington was not developing "exotic new nuclear weapons delivery systems" and repeated its claim that Russia violates the INF treaty while the United States does not.

"President Putin's remarks are a continuation of Russia's propaganda effort to avoid responsibility for Russia's actions in violation of the INF treaty," a spokeswoman said.

Russian nuclear missiles already target the United States, and vice versa.

Mr Putin's statement is likely to evoke memories of the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962, when the then-Soviet Union responded to a US missile deployment in Turkey by sending ballistic missiles to Cuba, sparking a stand-off that brought the world to the brink of nuclear war.

The US Government said this month it was suspending its obligations under the 1987 INF treaty because of what it said were Moscow's violations, starting the process of quitting it and untying its hands to develop new missiles.

Mr Putin said any US move to place new missiles in Europe would cut the time it took some US missiles to reach Moscow to 10 to 12 minutes.

Such a scenario, if left unmatched, would open up the possibility of Russia being hit by a nuclear strike before its own missiles fired in response could reach US territory.

The Russian land-based missiles that currently target the United States are based on Russian territory, and therefore the flight time to major US population centres would be longer than for US missiles deployed in Europe.

Mr Putin did not say how, technically, Russia would deploy missiles with a shorter strike time, but possible options include deploying them on the soil of an ally near US territory, deploying faster missiles on submarines, or using one of the hypersonic weapons Moscow says it has under development.

Mr Putin said a submarine called Poseidon would be launched this spring, which will be capable of carrying a new underwater drone with nuclear strike capability.

He also spoke of the successful development of a new hypersonic missile called Tsirkon.

Russian state television on Wednesday broadcast footage of Poseidon being tested for the first time, the RIA news agency reported.</s>Putin Delivers Stark Warning To U.S. About Missile Stationing In Europe

Russian President Vladimir Putin says his country will target the U.S. with new weapons if the U.S. stations intermediate-range missiles in Europe.</s>MOSCOW (Reuters) – Moscow will match any U.S. move to deploy new nuclear missiles closer to Russia by stationing its own missiles closer to the United States or by deploying faster missiles or both, President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday.

In Washington, the U.S. State Department dismissed Putin’s comments as “propaganda designed to divert attention from what Washington alleges are Moscow’s violations of the Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty.

Putin said Russia was not seeking confrontation and would not take the first step to deploy missiles in response to Washington’s decision this month to quit a landmark Cold War-era arms control treaty.

But in his toughest remarks yet on a potential new arms race, he said Russia’s reaction to any deployment would be resolute and that U.S. policymakers, some of whom he accused of being obsessed with U.S. exceptionalism, should calculate the risks before taking any steps.

“It’s their right to think how they want. But can they count? I’m sure they can. Let them count the speed and the range of the weapons systems we are developing,” Putin told Russia’s political elite to strong applause.

“Russia will be forced to create and deploy types of weapons which can be used not only in respect of those territories from which the direct threat to us originates, but also in respect of those territories where the centres of decision-making are located,” he said.

“These weapons, by their tactical and technical specifications, including their flight time to the command centres I’m talking about, will fully correspond to the threats that will be directed against Russia.”

The U.S. State Department said Washington was not developing “exotic new nuclear weapons delivery systems” and repeated its claim that Russia violates the INF treaty while the United States does not.

“President Putin’s remarks are a continuation of Russia’s propaganda effort to avoid responsibility for Russia’s actions in violation of the INF Treaty,” added a State Department spokeswoman on condition of anonymity.

Russian nuclear missiles already target the United States and vice versa.

Putin’s statement is likely to evoke memories of the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962 when the then Soviet Union responded to a U.S. missile deployment in Turkey by sending ballistic missiles to Cuba, sparking a standoff that brought the world to the brink of nuclear war.

Washington said this month it was suspending its obligations under the 1987 INF treaty because of what it said were Moscow’s violations, starting the process of quitting it and untying its hands to develop new missiles.

Any U.S. move to place new missiles in Europe would cut the time it took some U.S. missiles to reach Moscow to 10-12 minutes, Putin said, something he called a serious threat.

Such a scenario, if left unmatched, would open up the possibility of Russia being hit by a nuclear strike before its own missiles fired in response could reach U.S. territory.

The Russian land-based missiles that currently target the United States are based on Russian territory and therefore the flight time to major U.S. population centres would be longer than for U.S. missiles deployed in Europe.

Putin did not confirm how, technically, Russia would deploy missiles with a shorter strike time. Possible options include deploying them on the soil of an ally near U.S. territory, deploying faster missiles on submarines, or using one of the hypersonic weapons Moscow says it has under development.

In his speech on Wednesday, Putin said that a submarine capable of carrying a new underwater drone with nuclear strike capability, which is called Poseidon, would be launched this spring, and also spoke of the successful development of a new hypersonic missile called Tsirkon.

Russian state television on Wednesday broadcast footage of Poseidon being tested for the first time, the RIA news agency reported.

The INF Treaty banned Russia and the United States from stationing short- and intermediate-range, land-based missiles in Europe and its demise raises the prospect of a new arms race between Washington and Moscow, which denies flouting the treaty.

Putin responded to the U.S. move by saying Russia would mirror Washington’s actions by suspending its own obligations and quitting the pact.

But the Russian leader, who has sometimes used bellicose rhetoric to talk up Russia’s standoff with the West, did not up the ante.

He did not announce new missile deployments, said money for new systems must come from existing budget funds and declared that Moscow would not deploy new land-based missiles in Europe or elsewhere unless Washington did so first.

On Wednesday, he made clear however that he was ready, reluctantly, to escalate if the United States escalated and that Russia was continuing to actively develop weapons and missile systems to ensure it was well prepared for such an eventuality.

Putin said Russia wanted good ties with the United States, but was ready with its defensive response if necessary.

“We know how to do this and we will implement these plans immediately, as soon as the corresponding threats to us become a reality.”</s>Russian President Vladimir Putin sternly warned the United States against deploying new missiles in Europe, saying Wednesday that Russia will retaliate by fielding new weapons that will take just as little time to reach their targets.

While the Russian leader didn’t say what specific new weapons Moscow could deploy, his statement further raised the ante in tense relations with Washington.

Speaking in his state-of-the-nation address, Putin charged that the U.S. has abandoned a key arms control pact to free up its hands to build new missiles and tried to shift the blame for the move to Russia.

“Our American partners should have honestly said it instead of making unfounded accusations against Russia to justify their withdrawal from the treaty,” Putin said.

The U.S. has accused Russia of breaching the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces treaty by deploying a cruise missile that violates its limits — the accusations Moscow has rejected.

The INF treaty banned production, testing and deployment of land-based cruise and ballistic missiles with a range of 500 to 5,500 kilometers (310 to 3,410 miles).

The intermediate-range weapons were seen as particularly destabilizing as they take shorter time to reach their targets compared to the intercontinental ballistic missiles. That would leave practically no time for decision-makers, raising the likelihood of a global nuclear conflict over a false launch warning.

Putin reaffirmed that Russia will not be the first to deploy new intermediate-range missiles but warned of a quick retaliation if the U.S. puts such weapons in Europe.

“They will only take 10-12 minutes to reach Moscow,” he said. “It’s a very serious threat to us, and we will have to respond.”

He didn’t directly mention the U.S., but noted that the Russian response will be “asymmetrical” and involve new weapons will reach the enemy’s decision-making centers just as quickly.

“Russia will be forced to create and deploy new types of weapons that could be used not only against the territories where a direct threat to us comes from, but also against the territories where decision-making centers directing the use of missile systems threatening us are located,” he said. “The capability of such weapons, including the time to reach those centers, will be equivalent to the threats against Russia.”

Putin has confirmed that Russia is building a new hypersonic missile that can be launched from ships or submarines and travel at almost 2 miles per second.

Putin used his state of the nation address on Wednesday to publicly confirm that the cruise missile was well under development.

“This is a hypersonic missile called Tsirkon. It will have the speed of mach 9, it has a range of 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) and can hit navy or land targets.”

The Russian leader added the missile could be launched from a ship or submarine and costs would be kept low by its compatibility with the existing Kalibr missile system.

In December, CNBC learned that a U.S. Intelligence report had highlighted testing of the Tsirkon hypersonic system, noting that five tests had been carried out by the Russian military since 2015.

Putin has previously described Russia’s hypersonic prowess as “invincible” and accused “those who have fueled the arms race over the last 15 years” of failing to contain Russia.</s>Russian President Putin says he's prepared to target his weapons at the U.S., if the U.S. builds up missile forces in Europe. The threat comes after the U.S. withdraw form a Cold War era arms pact.</s>MOSCOW, Russia — The Latest on Putin's state-of-the-nation speech (all times local):

President Vladimir Putin says Russia wants friendly relations with the United States and remains open for arms control talks with Washington.

Putin, speaking in Wednesday's state-of-the-nation address, said Moscow hopes to mend ties with the U.S., adding that "we don't want confrontation, particularly with such a global power as the U.S."

At the same time, he criticized what he described as "destructive" U.S. policy of targeting Russia with sanctions.

He added that Russia will be ready to engage in nuclear arms control talks with the U.S. when Washington is ready for that, but said Moscow will not initiate such negotiations.

Putin urged U.S. officials to take into account the "range and speed of our prospective weapons" before making decisions that will threaten Russia.

President Vladimir Putin says Russia will deploy a new hypersonic missile for its navy as part of an ongoing plan to modernize its military capabilities and efforts to counter what he described as hostile U.S. moves.

Speaking in the state-of-the-nation address Wednesday, Putin said the new Zircon missile will fly at nine times of the speed of sound and have a range of 1,000 kilometers (620 miles).

He added that the missile is designed to equip existing surface ships and submarines.

He added that other new weapons he announced last year, including the nuclear-powered Burevestnik cruise missile and the Poseidon nuclear-powered underwater drone, have been undergoing tests successfully.

President Vladimir Putin says Russia will target new weapons at the United States should it deploy new intermediate-range missiles in Europe following Washington's withdrawal from a key arms control pact.

Putin, speaking in Wednesday's state-of-the-nation address, rejected the U.S. claim that its withdrawal from the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces treaty was prompted by Russian violations of the pact. He charged that the U.S. made false accusations against Russia to justify its decision to opt out of the pact.

Putin reaffirmed that Russia will not be the first to deploy new intermediate-range missiles in Europe, but warned that it will retaliate if the U.S. puts such missiles on the continent. He said it will not only target the host countries, but field new weapons that will target U.S. decision-making centers.

President Vladimir Putin says in a state-of-the-nation address that Russia needs to focus on raising living standards.

Speaking on Wednesday before lawmakers and top officials, Putin said the government will increase social payments to support young families. He promised tax breaks, lower mortgage rates and housing subsidies for families with several children.

He said that the tax burden on developers will be eased to encourage them to expand housing construction.

Putin also emphasized the need to combat poverty, saying that 19 million of Russia's approximately 147 million people live below the official poverty line, currently the equivalent of around 160 dollars a month.</s>Russia has confirmed it is building a new hypersonic missile that can be launched from ships or submarines and travel at almost 2 miles per second.

Russian President Vladimir Putin used his state of the nation address on Wednesday to publicly confirm that the cruise missile was well under development.

"This is a hypersonic missile called Tsirkon. It will have the speed of mach 9, it has a range of 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) and can hit navy or land targets."

The Russian leader added the missile could be launched from a ship or submarine and costs would be kept low by its compatibility with the existing Kalibr missile system.

In December, CNBC learned that a U.S. Intelligence report had highlighted testing of the Tsirkon hypersonic system, noting that five tests had been carried out by the Russian military since 2015.

Putin has previously described Russia's hypersonic prowess as "invincible" and accused "those who have fueled the arms race over the last 15 years" of failing to contain Russia.

Publicly confirming the project on Wednesday, the Russian president again took a pot-shot at the West and specifically the United States.

"The U.S. once sought global domination through its missiles program. They should abandon illusions, we will always respond with a reciprocal response," said Putin.
Russian President Vladimir Putin states that Russia is militarily ready for "a Cuban Missile-style crisis" if the United States wants one, in relation to new U.S. missile deployments in Europe.