Russia and US agree five-year New START extension
Nuclear weapons treaty will remain in effect until February 2026.
The Russian government has signed a five-year extension to the New START nuclear arms pact with the US.
Russian agreement came one week before the treaty was due to expire on 5 February.
The deal caps the Russian and US arsenal of deployed intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs, such as the RS-24 Yars pictured), submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) and heavy bombers to 700 each; deployed warheads on deployed ICBMs, SLBMs and heavy bombers to 1,550 each; and deployed and non-deployed ICBM launchers, SLBM launchers and heavy bombers to 800 each.
New START was signed in 2010 and entered into force the following February for ten years.
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