A Russian navy ship sails past exploding anti-missile ordnance during celebrations to mark Navy Day in the far eastern Russian port of Vladivostok July 27, 2014. REUTERS/Yuri Maltsev
IN PHOTO: A Russian navy ship sails past exploding anti-missile ordnance during celebrations to mark Navy Day in the far eastern Russian port of Vladivostok July 27, 2014. Reuters/Yuri Maltsev

Russia has announced that it will not have any truck with Ukraine in developing or designing strategic weapons. This was stated by General Sergei Karakayev, who is the commander of Russian Strategic Missile Force. Accordingly, Russia turned down Ukrainian help in the design upgrades for the Voyevoda missile system

"As for using the potential of the Ukrainian defence industry in the interest of the Russian Strategic Missile Force, we feel, there is no need to do it, at this time," Sergei Karakayev said ahead of the 55th anniversary of the Russian Strategic Missile Force, reported Ukraine News.

According to the General, Russia has snapped cooperation with Ukraine in maintaining the Voyevoda missile system. This includes the Yuzhnoye Engineering Design Bureau and other Ukrainian enterprises. Since 1993, the design works of all missiles for the Russian Strategic Missile Force are being undertaken by Russian enterprises only. The major Russian company, which is now making the liquid propellant missiles is the Academician Makeyev State Missile Centre. The Ruusian General asserted that before 2020, the Russian army will have a cutting-edge heavy liquid-propellant ballistic missile to replace Voyevoda missiles.

Voyevoda Replacement

The commander's statement fully validates previous reports that Russia will be deploying a new type of long-range missile in 2018 to replace the Cold War standby Voyevoda, which is known in the West and NATO circles as "Satan". It is a clear signal to the United States that Moscow will go ahead with its plan to renew the nuclear arsenal. According to a Reuters report, the new ICBM will be "Sarmat" and supplant the RS-20B Voyevoda, according to an Interfax news report, which quoted General Karakayev.

Meanwhile, Russia's deputy foreign minister declared that the move of the United States to supply weapons to Ukraine will not solve the crisis in eastern Ukraine. His comments were in reference to the upcoming U.S weapons deal for Ukraine, reported Moscow Times. "In recent weeks, lethal arms to Ukraine have intensified in a worrisome way," Sergei Ryabkov was quoted by the RIA news agency, in response to the crisis at the industrial Donbass region of east Ukraine.

American Weapons

The Russian minister said the U.S. weapons will only be used to "kill the Russian-speaking inhabitants of Donbass". What can really solve the crisis, is to put pressure on Kiev to hold talks with the rebels and give them autonomy. In Ukraine, both Russia and the West are at loggerheads, over the conflict in east Ukraine, where the Kiev government troops and pro-Russian separatists are fighting a battle for supremacy. The conflict has already killed more than 4,700 people since April. The West has slapped sanctions on Moscow and the U.S. is now mulling more sanctions to be backed by a weapons deal for Kiev.