ConflictBarometer_2016

EUROPE
dent, declared that ''Anaconda 2016” would pose a threat to
Russian security and leading to a ''deficit in trust regarding the
relations with the west.” Subsequently, Russia sent 30,000
troops to its western border and deployed S-400 surface-toair
missile defence system at Crimea on August 13. Amid
heightened tensions, Russian President Vladimir Putin called
the manoeuvres ''unfriendly actions of the USA”, and responded
with suspending the nuclear disarmament of Russia
on October 3. Nine days later, Russia sent Iskander mediumrange
missiles with nuclear-warhead capacity to Kaliningrad,
the Western Russian enclave, and conducted a test of submarine
based ballistic missiles with nuclear-warhead capacity.
In return, the US accused Russia of violating the ''Treaty on
Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces” (INF) of 1987, and called
for meeting the INF special verification commission. tcr
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