Although the Cold War had ended with the fall of the Berlin Wall and the breakup of the Soviet Union 30 years ago, a new 'Cold War' seems to be playing out between the US and Russia these days. According to media reports, Russian authorities removed three US diplomats from a train in the Arctic shipyard city of Severodvinsk in Russia. The diplomats were taken off a train running between Severodvinsk and Nyonoksa, the site of a missile test blast that saw radiation spike last August. It was reported that the diplomats were suspected of breaching rules on foreigners visiting controlled zones. It was also reported that the diplomats were on an official trip and had informed the Russian defence ministry in the appropriate way.

At present, the US-Russia relationship is characterized by deep mutual suspicious as both the countries compete for greater influence in the Middle East in particular.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2019