No defense against multiple Russian missiles: US general

A top US general warned today that the United States and its allies would have "no defense" against large numbers of ground-launched cruise missiles of the type recently deployed by Russia. 

Washington has repeatedly accused Moscow of deploying a land-based cruise missile system in contravention of a 1987 US-Russia arms control deal, known as the Intermediate Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF).

General John Hyten, who heads the US military's Strategic Command, told lawmakers that a single ground-launched cruise missile is not a significant threat, but



the calculus changes if multiple missiles are launched.The General also warned about the growing threat to America's satellites, an essential component of its global security apparatus. 

China and Russia are developing technologies to target the satellites in the event of a conflict, he said. 

The 1987 INF treaty put an end to a mini-arms race triggered by the Soviet Union's deployment of SS-20 nuclear missiles targeting Western European capitals. 

Russia says it has not violated the INF treaty, but has accused Washington of doing so itself.