Moscow Ready To Respond If U.S. Puts Nuclear Missiles In Europe

Russian President Vladimir Putin says his country will respond in kind if the U.S. deploys intermediate-range nuclear missiles in Europe, reports Russia's Tass news agency.

Moscow will consider both tit-for-tat and asymmetric responses, Putin said on Wednesday during the annual State of the Nation address.

Russia would target both the sites where the missiles are stationed and the U.S., Putin told the Federal Assembly. 

Talks with the U.S. over the Intermediate Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty have not yielded results, he said. 

On Feb. 2, Washington announced that it was suspending its participation in the treaty. 

U.S. officials claim the Russian 9M729 cruise missile violates the 1987 treaty, which bans developing, producing and deploying in Europe ground-launched cruise or ballistic missiles with ranges between 310 miles (500 km) and 3,400 miles (5,500 km)

Russian officials deny the allegations.