BRUSSELS: Nato said on Friday that Russian threats to its members were “unacceptable and counterproductive”, after President Vladi­mir Putin unveiled a new arsenal of hypersonic weapons billed as “invincible”.

With ties between Russia and the West at post-Cold War lows over the Syria and Ukraine conflicts, Putin sto­ked fears of a new arms race with the announcement on Thursday of high-tech weaponry that can travel at many times the speed of sound.

Putin’s presentation during a state of the nation speech featured video montages of missiles crossing mountains and oceans, heading over the Atlantic, though the Kremlin later insisted the maps used did not represent any actual countries.

“Russian statements threatening to target Allies are unacceptable and counterproductive,” Nato spokeswoman Oana Lungescu said in a statement.

She said the alliance would press ahead with its twin-track approach with Russia — dialogue paired with stro­­ng deterrence and defence.

Moscow has been angered by Nato’s expansion into former Soviet satellite states in eastern Europe and Putin warned that Russia would respond to any attack on one of its allies, though he said it would only ever be defensive in nature.

Russia is also concerned by the US-led alliance’s missile defence system in Europe, which it sees as a provocation, though Nato rejects the criticism.

“As we have repeatedly made clear, the alliance’s mis­­­sile defence is neither desig­ned nor directed against Rus­­­sia. Our system defends agai­nst ballistic missiles from outside the Euro-Atlantic area,” Lungescu said.

German Chancellor Ange­­la Merkel and US President Donald Trump shared concern in a phone conversation over Putin’s claims, Berlin said on Friday, and analysts have warned Putin was effectively challenging Washington to a new arms race.

Published in Dawn, March 3rd, 2018