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.

Russia has declared it will no longer observe self-imposed restrictions on deploying medium- and short-range missiles, ending a moratorium introduced after the collapse of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty with the United States.

Russia says it no longer will abide by its self-imposed moratorium on intermediate-range missiles - Russia has declared it's no longer considers itself bound by a self-imposed moratorium on deploying nuclear-capable intermediate range missiles,