U.S. suspends missile test data exchanges with Russia under New START Treaty

The U.S. has formally ended a data-sharing practice under the New START Treaty to provide Russia with telemetric information on test launches of intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) and submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs), in response to Moscow's "unilateral suspension" of similar terms of the accord, the State Department disclosed.

“The Russian Federation did not fulfill its obligation to provide updated data in March and is not implementing other key provisions of the treaty,” the State Department said in a June 1 formal statement.

At issue is the New START nuclear arms reduction treaty between the U.S. and Russia, in effect since 2011. Under the treaty’s terms, both nations provide scheduled updates on missile and launcher locations.

The United States and Russia “are obligated to exchange data on treaty-accountable items twice a year,” the State Department said.

While Russia has not formally withdrawn from the treaty, the Russian foreign ministry announced that nuclear facilities subject to inspections under the treaty will be “temporarily” exempt.

“Regrettably, the Russian Federation announced a unilateral and unjustified purported suspension of the treaty” on Feb. 28, the State Department said, describing the actions as “ongoing violations” that are “legally invalid.”

“Subsequently, the Russian Federation did not fulfill its obligation to provide updated data in March and is not implementing other key provisions of the treaty,” the State Department said.

Russia also is not engaging with the Bilateral Consultative Commission to resolve issues related to the treaty, according to the U.S.

“Russia has refused to meet in the BCC to reach such an agreement, and the United States will not provide telemetric information unilaterally,” the State Department said.

“The treaty does not require the United States to take such unilateral action in any event, since it calls for an exchange of telemetric information on an agreed number of launches.”

While the U.S. has stopped providing the status and location of nuclear missiles and test launches, it will continue to provide notification of test launches of ICBMs and SLBMs.

The U.S. also ended Russian inspection activities in the U.S. with the visas for inspectors and aircrews revoked, according to the State Department.

The U.S. continues to provide Russia with notifications of ICBM and SLBM launches and exercises in accordance with the 1988 Ballistic Missile Launch Notifications Agreement and the 1989 Agreement on Reciprocal Notification of Major Strategic Exercises, the State Department said.

Russia has not notified the U.S. of plans to send a Russian inspection team to the U.S. since February 2020, the department added.

“U.S. countermeasures are fully consistent with international law. They are proportionate, reversible, and meet all other legal requirements. International law permits such measures to induce a state to return to compliance with its international obligations,” according to the statement.