UPDATED ON:
Thursday, November 06, 2008
21:58 Mecca time, 18:58 GMT
News Europe
Russia to deploy missiles in Baltic
The state of the nation speech was Medvedev's first since taking office in May [AFP]

Dmitry Medvedev, the Russian president, has said that the country will deploy missiles in territory near Nato member Poland, in response to US missile defence plans.

Making his first state of the nation address on Wednesday, Medvedev did not say whether the short-range Iskander missiles would be fitted with nuclear warheads.

The missiles will be deployed in the Russian Baltic Sea territory Kaliningrad, he said, but did not add how many would be used.

Equipment to electronically hamper the operation of prospective US missile defense facilities in Poland and the Czech Republic will also be rolled out, he said.

A Nato spokesman said that the military alliance is concerned at Moscow's missile deployment plan.

"We have seen the press reports on the statement of President Medvedev regarding deployment of Iskander missiles to the Kaliningrad region," Robert Pszczel said.

"If confirmed, it would raise serious worries concerning the conformity with existing arms control arrangements which are important for European security.

"Moreover, placing of these Iskander missiles in the Kaliningrad region would not help Nato and Russia to improve their relationship."

'Dangerous decisions'

During his address on Wednesday, Medvedev also blamed the US for the war in Georgia and the global financial crisis.

He said he hoped Barack Obama would act to improve relations with Russia but he did not offer congratulations to the president-elect.

Medvedev singled out the United States for criticism, casting Russia's war with Georgia in August and the global financial turmoil as consequences of aggressive, selfish US policies.

"Mechanisms must be created to block mistaken, egoistical and sometimes simply dangerous decisions of certain members of the international community,'' he said shortly after starting the 85-minute speech in the Kremlin.

Medvedev blamed the US for Russia's recent with Georgia [AFP]

Medvedev, whose criticism of Washington echoed addresses by his predecessor Vladimir Putin, made it clear he was referring to the US.

Georgia sparked the August war on its territory with what he called "barbaric aggression'' against the breakaway region of South Ossetia, which is backed by Moscow.

The conflict "was, among other things, the result of the arrogant course of the American administration, which did not tolerate criticism and preferred unilateral decisions," he said.

Medvedev painted Russia as a country threatened by growing Western
military might.

"From what we have seen in recent years, the creation of a missile defense system, the encirclement of Russia with military bases, the relentless expansion of Nato, we have gotten the strong impression that they are testing our strength,'' Medvedev said.

He announced the deployment of the Iskander missiles as a military response to US plans to deploy missile-defense facilities in Poland and the Czech Republic, former Soviet satellites that are now Nato members.

Obama victory

Speaking just hours after Barack Obama was declared the victor in the US presidential election, Medvedev said he hoped the incoming administration will take steps to improve badly damaged US ties with Russia.

He suggested it is up to the US, not the Kremlin, to seek to improve relations.

"I stress that we have no problem with the American people, no inborn anti-Americanism. And we hope that our partners, the US administration, will make a choice in favor of full-fledged relations with Russia,'' Medvedev said.

Russian-American relations have been increasingly tense and were driven to a post-Cold War low by Moscow's war with US ally Georgia.

 Source: Agencies
 
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Feedback Number of comments : 9
 
Joe
Australia
05/11/2008
Stuff NATO
If improving relations between Russia and NATO means that Russia has to do whatever the US wants it to do and allow it to do whatever it wants to do, then I say to Russia...stuff NATO! Russia, with friends like that you are better off alone.

MB
Canada
06/11/2008
Well, I for one applaud Russia. Hopefully NATO will take this as a sign that they can no longer bully the world around, and members such as Canada will withdraw our support.

JS
Korea (South)
05/11/2008
Russian buildup
Well, nobody could have predicted this... oh wait, most scholars that study deterrence and int'l conflict, said that this is exactly what would happen. Missile defenses only lead to more missiles or more advanced missiles, and usually both. If the US wants to be safe from nuclear attacks then it needs to work with Russia and the rest of the world to stop the spread of nuclear weapons materials. Hopefully Obama will abandon this missile defense program and stop a new arms-race before it starts.

Vedeved
Czech Republic
06/11/2008
Russian missile
That's an act of self-defense. It is the right of the Russians to protect their nation from any possible Western aggression.

Dave
United States
06/11/2008
Russian hypocracy
Thank you for fair reporting. At least you tell the truth compared to the propaganda that Pravda spits out. It's as if the cold war never ended for them at this point. Same lies to support their message of hate.

Ishkandar
United Kingdom
06/11/2008
Attack and defence
Americans put missiles in former Soviet bloc nations right next to Russia and that is called defence. Russia puts missiles in its own territory right next to those American missiles and that is called aggression. "Some thing does not compute here, Captain !", as Mr. Spock would say.

Khalid
United States
07/11/2008
I think the US must do the major part of starting a friendship, but Russia must be willing to participate. I also think blaming the US for the Georgians attacks is not true, but they didn't side with Russia, who was in the right to crush georgia, and I dont think they should have left so quickly. But Barack is a smart man, and I think he will lead this country well, and that means shaking hands with our neighbors.

umar
India
07/11/2008
RUssian Missiles
It is necessary that world has an answer to the US agrression everywhere. Thank GOD that we have country like Russia who has the guts to reply USA word by word. The rest of the world must support Russia as much as they can to counter USA's terror of wars (dont read war on terror - its just USA's gimmick)

alex
Nigeria
03/12/2008
deployment of missiles
i have been warning,The whole world particularly the west,Should be careful f the russians,thier actions is simply to head into a world war3,And dominate every sphere of the world through energy and thier gas power,they are flexing thier military might on the world state,who knows what they are up to!

 
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