Russian President Orders Military to Prepare Countermeasures Against U.S. Missile Shield
Russian President Orders Military to Prepare Countermeasures Against U.S. Missile Shield
The Associated PressMarch 20, 2012
President Dmitry Medvedev says Russian armed forces must prepare to counter U.S. missile defence plans.
Medvedev said Tuesday that even though diplomatic efforts are continuing, Russia must be ready to mount a military response to the U.S.-led NATO missile shield.
He was quoted by Russian news agencies as saying that Russia should be ready to take retaliatory measures by 2017-2018.
NATO has said it wants to co-operate with Russia on the missile shield intended to fend off the Iranian missile threat, but it has rejected Russia's proposal to run the shield jointly.
Without a NATO-Russia co-operation deal, Medvedev has sought guarantees from the U.S. that any future missile defence is not aimed at Russia. He has threatened to aim missiles at the U.S. shield if no agreement is reached.
See: Russia Considers U.S. Missile Defense Sites in Europe a Threat to Its Nuclear Forces So It Will Deploy Missiles Aimed at Those Sites
