BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

14/11/2007

Russia to station missiles in Belarus

Russia might deploy its Iskander missiles to Belarus in response to US plans to station a missile defense system in Eastern Europe.

"Any action inevitably causes a reaction," said General Vladimir Zaritsky head of Russia's artillery and missile forces. "And this is just the case with the elements of US air defense system in the Czech Republic and Poland."

Washington plans to station 10 interceptor missiles in Poland and a radar base in the Czech Republic, a move that Russia considers as a threat to its national security.

Russia said the missile shield would change the balance of power. In July, Moscow proposed a deal for the two countries to use the Russian-operated Qabala radar in Azerbaijan as an alternative to the US missile shield.

However, US Defense Secretary Robert Gates said in his visit to Moscow that the Qabala radar could not replace the US missile shield.

The Iskander missile is able to deliver a 1,058 lb conventional payload within a range of up to 250 miles.

Source:

http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=31044§ionid=351020602

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