MOSCOW. Feb 21 (Interfax) - The suspension by Russia of its participation in the Treaty with the United States on Measures for the Further Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms (New START) would mean that, if necessary, Russia could increase the number of strategic nuclear warheads and delivery vehicles, State Duma Defense Committee head Andrei Kartapolov said.
"We're suspending our participation in this treaty in response to our partners' actions and are free to do all we want to ensure our homeland's security. If there's a need to increase the number of warheads, we'll increase them, and if there's a need to increase the number of delivery vehicles, we'll increase them, too, we're entitled to do that," Kartapolov told Interfax on Tuesday.
The decision on suspending Russia's participation in New START will not have to be ratified, as "the president has made the decision," he said.
Earlier on Tuesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Russia was suspending its participation in New START but not withdrawing from it.
"They want to deal us a strategic defeat and are meddling with our nuclear facilities. In this context, I have to declare today that Russia is suspending its participation in the Treaty on Strategic Offensive Arms," Putin said in his address to the Federal Assembly on Tuesday.