Russia may put bombers, missiles in Belarus to counter US shield
Published: Wednesday, August 06, 2008
14:07GMT—10:07AM/EST
RUSSIA – U.S. – MISSILE SHIELD – BELARUS
Washington, 6 August (IranVNC)—Russia said today that it is considering deploying bombers and missiles to neighboring Belarus to counter a planned US missile shield in Eastern Europe, but ruled out a return of nuclear weapons to Belarus.
Moscow’s envoy to Minsk, Alexander Surikov, said that after Poland signs an agreement with the U.S. to host ten interceptor bases, Russia would discuss additional aspects of military and technical cooperation with Belarus.
“We could be talking about the possible basing of Iskander missiles, the possible basing of strategic bombers in Belarus, Kaliningrad and so on,” AFP quotes Surikov as saying.
He added: “We will counter the way we have to. But this excludes the return of nuclear weapons to Belarus.”
The U.S. has proposed the missile defense system – elements of which would be based in Poland and the Czech Republic – to avert a possible missile strike from “rouge states”, including Iran.
Russia contends that the system poses a threat to its national security and is based too close to its borders.
Last month, the Russian News and Information Agency [RIA Novosti] cited a report in the Russian daily, Izvestia, that a senior Russian military source said Moscow may fly strategic bombers to Cuba on a regular basis in response to the US missile shield. The report was later denied by a Russian Defense Ministry spokesperson.
According to AFP, senior US Air Force officer, General Norton Schwartz, said that Russia would cross “a red line” for the U.S. if they took such an action.
Sources: Agence France-Presse, RIA Novosti
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