Russia withdraws from “Open Skies” agreement

Russia announced that it had initiated procedures to withdraw from the agreement. The heavens Open to regulate the non-military aviation movement, Which Let unarmed reconnaissance planes fly through the skies of dozens of participating countries.

The Open Skies Agreement, which entered into force in 2002, is designed to increase confidence in the ability to counter attacks.

Moscow indicated that this step comes in response to the US announcement to withdraw from the deal last year.

Moscow explained that the agreement allowing surveillance and intelligence gathering operations using non-war aviation in the skies of member states has become a threat to violate sovereignty after Washington announced its withdrawal.

The decision, announced by the Russian Foreign Ministry days before the scheduled inauguration of new US President Joe Biden, came amid fears of a return to the arms race between Washington and Moscow.

The last major nuclear agreement between the two countries will expire next month, the new “START” treaty, to limit the spread of medium and long-range missiles.

“The proposals were rejected”

Washington had justified its withdrawal from the “open skies” by claiming that Moscow was used to violating its terms, which Moscow completely denies.

The Kremlin said in an official statement that it had submitted several proposals to the agreement’s member states aimed at strengthening cooperation and overcoming weaknesses stemming from the US withdrawal, but the proposals were rejected.

The statement indicated that Moscow will inform the rest of the member states of its formal withdrawal once some internal procedures are completed first, without specifying the type of these measures.

Moscow expressed its fear of the ability of US intelligence to obtain all the information from the airspace of the member states of the agreement through its allies that participate in it, even after its withdrawal.

The Russian daily Kommersant said Moscow had requested assurances from the rest of the members of the agreement that they would not share intelligence information with Washington, but did not obtain sufficient guarantees in this regard.

The agreement was signed in 1992 and entered into force in 2002 and allows member states to operate unarmed flights in the airspace of other members after a short notice, so that they can operate unarmed surveillance aircraft to collect military information and locate weapons. heavy like tanks, artillery and missile batteries.

More than 30 countries, including France, Germany, Belgium and Spain, participate in the agreement, and more than 26 of them have ratified the agreement in their parliaments.