Russia 'could answer U.S. shield with orbital ballistic missiles'

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BY : RIA Novosti

Russia could put in place an orbital ballistic missile system in response to U.S. missile defense plans for Central Europe, a senior Russian military expert said on Thursday.

The U.S. plans to deploy a radar in the Czech Republic and 10 interceptor missiles in northern Poland as part of a U.S. missile shield for Europe and North America against possible attacks from "rogue states," including Iran. Russia strongly opposes the possible deployment of the U.S. missile shield, viewing it as a threat to its national security.

"A program could be implemented to create orbital ballistic missiles capable of reaching U.S. territory via the South Pole, skirting U.S. air defense bases," said Col. Gen. Viktor Yesin, former chief of staff of the Russian Strategic Missile Forces, now vice president of the Academy of Security, Defense and Law Enforcement Studies.

He said in its time, the Soviet Union had abandoned such missiles in accordance with the START I Treaty.

He added, however, that since the U.S. missile defense site in Central Europe was still only a plan, Russia "must not for the time being spook Europe" with such military options.

Russian experts have lately come up with a host of proposals to counter the U.S. missile defense plans, some verging on the bizarre.

Alexander Pikayev, head of the disarmament and conflict resolution department at the Russian Academy of Sciences' World Economics and International Relations Institute, suggested Russia should reopen a 'spy' facility in Cuba to gather intelligence on the United States.

Russian daily Izvestia quoted Defense Ministry sources as saying Russian strategic bombers may soon be deployed at airbases in Cuba, Venezuela and Algeria.

Another analyst suggested a Russian boycott on Czech beer in response to the placement of a U.S. missile defense radar in the Czech Republic could deliver a crippling blow to the Czech economy.

Russia 'could answer U.S. shield with orbital ballistic missiles' » www.idrw.org / Indian Defense Research Wing

 

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Poland, U.S. sign missile shield deal

Washington and Warsaw have signed a preliminary deal which would see part of a U.S. missile shield based in Poland.

The move comes in face of strong opposition from Russia and as tensions remain high over the conflict in Georgia.

The deal was signed in Warsaw Thursday after two days of talks.

The Bush administration has long pushed to base 10 missile interceptors in Poland. The interceptor rockets would be linked to an air-defense radar system in the Czech Republic, whose officials agreed in April to take part in the system.

It would compliment a system already in place in the U.S., Greenland and Britain.

Both countries are former Soviet satellites but now are members of the U.S.-led NATO alliance. The United States' plans to base the anti-missile system in Eastern Europe have raised alarms in Russia.

Moscow has mounted serious opposition to the missile shield plan, although the U.S. has insisted it is designed to counter threats from the Middle East and is not an aggressive move against Russia.

The U.S. has also agreed to help Poland modernize its military, which it requested as a condition of its support for housing the missile defense system.
Poland, U.S. sign missile shield deal - CNN.com

 

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There has never been any doubt about the capability of Russia to develop missile defence systems . . . and she now has the economic means to back up her strong defensive posture towards NATO. An orbital ballistic missile system should help to concentrate minds in the Pentagon . . its good for Russia and good for the world.