Russian Lower House of Parliament Unanimously Backs Pullout From Open Skies Treaty

The lower house house of the Russian parliament on Wednesday unanimously decided to withdraw from the Open Skies Treaty during a plenary session.

"Support is unanimous", the house chairman, Vyacheslav Volodin, said following the vote.

The house's international affairs committee also unanimously upheld the withdrawal from the treaty on Tuesday.

The Open Skies Treaty, signed in 1992, allows member states flying over each other's territories to observe military activity and regulates the conduct of such flights.

However, in May 2020, the US launched withdrawal procedures, leaving the accord on 22 November. In response to this step, Moscow announced on 15 January 2021 that the Russian Federation would also start withdrawal procedures in order to leave the treaty.

(SPUTNIK)