The Kremlin has said it is no longer bound by any constraints on deploying short- and intermediate-range missiles near European Union and Nato states, as nuclear sabre-rattling escalated before a US deadline for Moscow to halt fighting with Ukraine.

Russian former President Dmitry Medvedev blamed NATO countries on Monday for the abandonment of a moratorium on short- and medium-range nuclear missiles and said Moscow would take further steps in response.

The Russian Foreign Ministry noted that actions by the U.S. and its allies create “destabilizing missile potentials” near Russia.

Russia said on Tuesday that it would no longer place any limits on where it deploys intermediate-range missiles that can carry nuclear warheads. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was speaking a day after Russia said it was lifting what it called a unilateral moratorium on deploying intermediate-range missiles,