MOSCOW : Russian President Vladimir Putin warned Washington of retaliation if US were to go ahead with the plan to build a missile defense system for Europe. Putin also hinted that nuclear missiles may be aimed at the American continent.
Putin assailed the White House plan to place a radar system in the Czech in a press meet with foreign reporters before he left for Germany for the annual summit with US.
Washington insists that the system, which is being installed in Poland, is necessary to counter a potential threat from Iran.
Putin countered that neither Iran nor North Korea have the rockets that the system is intended to shoot down, suggesting that the planned missile shield would cover Russia's territory up to the Ural Mountains We are being told the anti missile defense system is targeted against something that does not exist, claimed Putin
Putin bemoaned the fact that an integral part of the US defence system and nuclear arsenal would right in the centre of Europe. He felt that it changed the balance of international security.
He hoped that U.S. officials would change their minds regarding the missile plan, threatening retribution from Moscow. Putin also assured that Moscow would disclaim all responsibility for this retribution as they had not initiated the ' new arms race'. Russia will act as a counter system to combat this force which threatens to upset the power balance in the world, he said.
Russia tested a new ballistic missile capable of carrying multiple nuclear warheads and a new cruise missile which western analysts opine to be in development for many years. However, Putin insists that it's the Russian response to the US's plan.
According to the Iranian state run IRNA news agency, Iran's first official response to the U.S. missile defense plan stated by Supreme National Security Council head Ali Larijani said "claims by U.S. officials that installing a missile defense system in Europe is aimed at confronting Iranian missiles and protecting Europe against Iran is the joke of the year"
Putin also suggested that in the absence of a real threat from Iranian and North Korean missiles, the U.S. plan could be an attempt to spoil relations between Russia and rest of Europe.
Moscow and Washington have had a strained relationship last year. The former cold war rivals are at conflict over Russia's conflicts with former Soviet nations-Ukraine, Estonia and Georgia and US's concern with deteriorating democracy in Moscow.
