"We regret the ending of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty, which was caused by Russia's failure to meet the pact's commitments," said the ministry on Twitter.

The post includes a link to a joint NATO statement in which the alliance puts the blame for the demise of the treaty exclusively on Russia.

The 1987 arms control pact formally ended on Friday after the US had decided to withdraw from it on the grounds that Russia is violating the pact by deploying a new type of missile.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has said that the alliance does not want another arms race and dismissed Russia's moratorium request.

Europe considers the Cold War-era treaty, signed between then US President Ronald Reagan and the last Soviet leader Mihail Gorbačov, an important security cornerstone.

Russia has denied the US accusations and said they were a way for the US to leave the pact and pursue a new arms race.