Boeing OC-135B Open Skies
Moscow will respond harshly if the countries – members of the Treaty on the Open Skies (OST) will transmit the received intelligence to the United States. Konstantin Gavrilov, head of the Russian delegation at the talks on military security and arms control, stated this position. He is quoted by RIA Novosti.
It is argued that the United States is playing a dirty game, demanding from allies to hand over the materials of their observation flights over Russia. “If the remaining participating states follow the lead of the United States, our tough retaliatory measures will not be long in coming,” the diplomat threatened.
At the same time, a comment on the US withdrawal from the Don was posted on the Foreign Ministry website the day before. “We carefully monitor and analyze how the words of other parties to the Treaty correspond to their deeds. Based on the security interests of Russia and our allies, we will take appropriate decisions, ”the published text says. Moscow also recalled a number of violations by the Americans prior to leaving the Don, in particular, accusing Georgia of inciting Georgia to violate the treaty and limiting Russia's ability to monitor the Aleutian Islands.
The United States has ceased to be a party to the Open Skies Treaty since Sunday, November 22. The American side explained its position by the fact that Moscow allegedly does not comply with the points of the agreement. The White House also said that during flights over the United States, Russia monitored the whereabouts of US President Donald Trump. Moscow denies Washington's accusations.
The Open Skies Treaty was signed in 1992. According to the document, the participating countries can make reconnaissance flights over each other's territory in order to monitor military activities and compliance with existing treaties in the field of arms control.
