Russian President Vladimir Putin has suspended involvement in one of the key post-Cold War arms control treaties, BBC reported.

In a statement, the Kremlin said the choice was due to "extraordinary circumstances" affecting security.

Russia has been angered by US plans to base parts of a missile defence system in Poland and the Czech Republic.

The Conventional Forces in Europe Treaty limits the number of heavy weapons deployed between the Atlantic Ocean and the Urals mountains.

A Nato spokesman said that the alliance's Secretary General would "very much regret the decision" if confirmed.

"The allies consider this treaty to be an important cornerstone of European security," he said.

The CFE agreement, one of the key post-Cold War European security accords, was signed eight years after the Warsaw Pact was dissolved.

The Kremlin maintains that the 1990 treaty is outdated and restricts its ability to move troops around its own territory.

Russia ratified the 1999 revised version, but Nato has not done so, first demanding the withdrawal of Russian forces from Georgia and Moldova.