Russia
Russia Ready to Deal with the US Missile Shield Plans in Diplomatic or Military-Technical Ways
Having discussions and verbal conflict for almost a decade, Russia and US/NATO could never come to a solution of the Anti ballistic Missile Shield proposed in Poland. Russia and the US have been at odds over the issue of missile defence since 2000, ever since the notion was first put across by then-President George W Bush.
The US had been in talks with Poland and other European countries over the possibility of setting up a European base to intercept long-range missiles since 2002. According to US officials, a site similar to the US base in Alaska would help protect the US and Europe from missiles fired from the Middle East or North Africa.
Maintaining that European missile shield would be unable to protect Europe from a possible missile strike by Iran, Deputy Head of the Russian General Staff, Valery Gerasimov said “Elements of the US missile shield deployed in Romania are unlikely to be able to protect Southern Europe from any missiles launched from the South. As for the elements in Poland, they would be unable to protect Europe from any potential missiles coming from the South.”
If an Iranian missile flights to New York, even though Iran doesn’t possess technology or ICBM missiles which can reach that far, Romanian or Polish missile defence system situated way too in the north will not be able to do much.
In September 2009, President Barack Obama had scrapped plans for a network of bases spread across Poland and the Czech Republic with the capacity to intercept long-range missiles since the new intelligence had shown Iran was pursuing short-range and medium-range missile development, rather than long-range, necessitating a shift in strategy.
However, in 2010, the US signed an agreement with Poland to use an old airstrip at Redzikowo, near the Baltic coast, as a missile defence base. Meanwhile, Russia has put into commission a radar system in its Baltic enclave of Kaliningrad which is capable of monitoring missile launches from Europe and the North Atlantic.
Russia considers that the Anti Ballistic Missile shield system is targeted towards itself and is a threat to its security. The Anti Ballistic missile shield will not only be capable to shoot down Russian missile in the event of possible conflict handicapping the Russia’s whole Ballistic missile system, but also the radars established in the region will be able to sneak deep inside European Russia up to Ural mountains.
Russia is not against the Anti Ballistic Missile shield project led by US, but wants its own equal hand in the system and those radars which are to be placed close to the border of Russia should be completely replaced by the radars inside Russia with Russian control on it. Russia is willing to offer its existing Anti Ballistic Missile shield facility if US doesn’t plan to place its own radar system on Russian borders.
Russia’s Deputy Defense Minister Anatoly Antonov stated at an ABM conference after its participants visited a Russian radar station in Sofrino near Moscow. The station could be part of the shield if Russia makes a respective deal with the US and NATO, the official said. Russia has also proposed sharing the Qabala Radar in Azerbaijan, which is well near the northern border of Iran as an alternative to NATO radar in central Europe, but rejected by US.
Secretary of Russia’s Security Council Nikolai Patrushev has come up with the new concept of the European missile defense system which should replace the one that is now being created by NATO. Patrushev said that the said such a jointly run European missile defense system “could strengthen security of every single country of the continent” and “would be adequate to possible threats,” as Russia doubts current NATO’s plan can actually save Europe from a missile from Iran. He recalled that Moscow has repeatedly proposed running the missile shield jointly with NATO, but the alliance has rejected that proposal [Source: U.S. ready to compromise with Russia on missile defense].
So far, NATO and the US have not shown the elements of cooperation with Russia on the issue of Anti Ballistic Missiles shield in Europe, in particular ignoring Russia’s proposals for a sectoral approach to missile defense. Agreements had been reached between Russia and NATO to cooperate on the draft European missile defense system at the summit in Lisbon in 2010, but failed to finalized since the U.S did not provide any legal written guarantee that the system being deployed is non targeting in nature against Russia’s nuclear deterrent [Source: When NATO/US European ABM becomes a threat, it will be dealt with].
Russian military and political leaders have been warning their western partners that Russia will retaliate by diplomatic and if necessary by military-technical moves unless an agreement on the European Missile Shield is reached.

SS 26, from Kaliningrad (globalsecurity.org)
On Thursday, 3rd May 2012, at an international conference held in Moscow, attended by senior NATO and US officials and many journalists, Chief of Staff Nikolay Makarov declared that Moscow will take equally tough measures if the US does not reconsider its missile defence structure. He mentioned strengthening the anti-missile shield, deployment of missile defence elements and placing of Iskander mobile theatre ballistic missile systems in Kaliningrad, Russia’s Baltic enclave , jamming and destruction of satellites required for the functioning of the missile defence, withdrawal from START (STrategic Arms Reduction Treaty), and as a last option possibke destruction of the US system in case Russia’s national interests are endangered. Russia boasts a wide range of forces and facilities to counter missile defence systems, with Iskander missiles being just of fraction of those, General Makarov stressed.
Russia does not even rule out delivering preemptive strikes against missile defense objects in Poland and Romania and shooting down U.S. satellites utilized as part of the shield, Makarov said [Source: Moscow Sends Missile Message to NATO].
Russia has been very serious on this issue and is getting even more aggressive seeing non cooperation from the US side, A high-ranking Russian military officer had also warned Poland that it was exposing itself to attack by accepting a U.S. missile interceptor base on its soil. The deputy chief of staff of Russia’s armed forces Gen. Anatoly Nogovitsyn has warned Poland that, “by deploying (the system), it is exposing itself to a strike — 100 percent.”
On November 14, 2008, French President Nicolas Sarkozy stated that plans for a U.S. missile shield in Central Europe were misguided, and wouldn’t make the continent a safer place. “Deployment of a missile defense system would bring nothing to security … it would complicate things, and would make them move backward,” he said at a summit. He also warned Russian President Dmitry Medvedev against upping tensions by deploying missiles in Kaliningrad in response to the U.S. planned missile defense system.
Russia is regaining its lost glory and power and status on the international platform which it had lost after the collapse of Soviet Union and its western partners are unwilling to cooperate and respect the area of influence of this giant first by placing NATO military on the border of Russia and now placing a anti ballistic missile system than can disable Russia’s nuclear parity with US. At this Russia is at the state of dilemma, either it should cooperate and respond together with its western partners to new missile challenges and threats, or it should be forced to undertake the necessary military measures to safeguard its interest and reputation.
Terming the ongoing talks with US regarding the Anti Ballistic Missile as is at the situation of dead end Russian Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov said on Thursday, “So far, we have not found a mutually acceptable solution to the missile defense issue.”
-
Health9 months ago
Questions On Everyone’s Mind During Coronavirus
-
Travel11 months ago
Dolphin Discovery is the only park with the AZA accreditation in Punta Cana
-
India9 months ago
5 Ways to Strengthen Sibling Bond
-
Travel11 months ago
Azul Talavera Hotel: the perfect place for your next holidays in Puebla
-
Travel10 months ago
6 Things you can do in Tijuana
-
Travel11 months ago
Ibiza: not only a destination for young people but also a natural paradise with dream beaches, exclusive locations, and luxury villas
-
Europe12 months ago
Holiday in Italy: choose Florence for a break in the winter
-
Travel12 months ago
Everything you need to know for your tourist Australian visa