Denmark rejects Putin's claim about medium-range missiles

By Leila Nezirevic

​​​​​​​LONDON (AA) - Danish Ministry of Defense on Saturday rejected Russian President Vladimir Putin's claim about medium-range missiles in Denmark after Moscow threatened to resume previously banned production of intermediate range missiles, local media repored.

According to the Russian president, the alleged medium-range missiles were to be used for military exercises.

"NATO is a defensive alliance. Deterrence and defense are among NATO's core tasks, which is necessary in light of an aggressive Russia.

"Exercises are an important part of ongoing deterrence. There are no medium-range missiles deployed in Denmark," the ministry wrote in a statement to Danish news agency Ritzau.

The Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty which banned the use of ground-based nuclear and conventional missiles with a range of between 500-5,500 kilometres (310 to 3,410 miles) was signed by Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev and US President Ronald Reagan in 1988.

However, the United States withdrew from the arms control treaty in 2019, citing Russian violations.

Putin claimed earlier on Saturday that Russia hadn’t produced such missiles since the treaty was signed.

“Today, it is known that the United States not only produces these missile systems, but has already brought them to Europe for exercises, to Denmark. Quite recently, it was announced that they are in the Philippines,” Putin said at a meeting of Russia's National Security Council.

The Russian president threatened to start production of the strike systems and that “based on the actual situation,” Moscow will make decisions about where, “if necessary to ensure our safety,” to place them.