New Delhi, Aug. 5 -- In a dramatic escalation of tensions with the United States, Russia has formally declared it will no longer honour self-imposed limits under the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, signalling a renewed push to deploy short- and intermediate-range nuclear missiles.

The development, confirmed on Tuesday by the Russian Foreign Ministry, comes amidst rising geopolitical friction - fuelled by sanctions, nuclear posturing, and a heated standoff over global oil trade.

Here's a breakdown of what this means, who it affects, and why the world is watching closely.

Russia's decision follows a sharp uptick in nuclear rhetoric and military manoeuvring from both sides. In a strongly worded statement, Moscow said it "n...