A senior Russian lawmaker says Moscow will deploy high-precision weapons near Poland, in response to a U.S. – Poland missile defense agreement signed in Warsaw last month.
Viktor Zavarzin, head of the defense committee in the State Duma, said Thursday Russia has new weapons that will be installed near the sites where Washington plans to deploy interceptor missiles.
The Itar-Tass news agency quoted Zavarzin as saying there are proposals to deploy tactical nuclear weapons in the Kaliningrad region bordering Poland, but that for now there is no need for such a move.
Russia strongly opposes the U.S. plans to place 10 defensive missiles in Poland and guidance radar in the Czech Republic.
Washington says the shield is designed to protect against what it says are threats from rogue countries, such as Iran.
But Moscow rejects that reasoning and has said the deployment of the system in Europe is designed to undermine Russia’s own missile capability and threatens its security.
Source: VOA News
05 September 2008