Russia won't be provoked into arms race after nuclear treaty expires, Ryabkov says

A vehicle with a model of a Russian missile on its top and attached Soviet-era flags drives along a square in Saint Petersburg, Russia March 16, 2025. REUTERS/Anton Vaganov

MOSCOW, ‌Feb 3 (Reuters) - Russia ‌will not succumb to "provocations" ‌and enter a new arms race after ‍the New START ‍nuclear treaty ‌expires this week, its point ‍man ​for arms control ⁠was cited by the RIA ‌state news agency as ⁠saying ‍on Tuesday.

Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei ‍Ryabkov also said the ‌modernisation of Russia's nuclear triad - referring to ground-, air- and submarine-launched weapons - was at a ‌very advanced stage, RIA reported.

(Reporting by Reuters; ​Writing by Lucy Papachristou; Editing by Mark Trevelyan)