Debunking Claims: New START Treaty Did Not Enable Ukraine's 'Spider's Web' Attack

Operation Spider's Web and Online Theories

• 🎯 Ukraine's recent "Operation Spider's Web" strikes on Russian airfields have sparked online theories about how the attacks were carried out.
• 📣 Some internet users are alleging that Kyiv exploited a requirement within the New START nuclear treaty between Russia and the US.

The New START Treaty Explained

• 📜 The New START treaty, signed in 2010 and effective since 2011, caps the number of strategic nuclear warheads deployed by the US and Russia.
• 🔍 The pact allows for inspections to ensure compliance with treaty limits and is set to expire in 2026.
• ⚠️ A key detail omitted by some online claims is that Russia suspended its participation in the treaty in 2023.

Examining the Alleged Treaty Requirement

• 🛰️ Pro-Russian influencers claim the treaty forces Russia to keep bombers in visible locations, making them vulnerable to satellite surveillance.
• ❌ These claims are false; the alleged requirement is not present in the treaty.
• 🏠 While the treaty bans concealment during testing and requires visibility for decommissioned bombers, it allows operational bombers to be protected undercover.

Potential Reasons for False Claims

• 💰 One analyst suggests Russia may not shelter its bombers due to the prohibitive cost of protecting its entire fleet.
• 🗣️ Another perspective is that Russia is attempting to shift blame for unsecured bases onto the treaty and the US, rather than acknowledging its own inaction over the past three years of the war.
• 🧐 The confusion may stem from the treaty's rules regarding decommissioned versus operational aircraft, as noted by a UN disarmament researcher.