KALININGRAD, Russia — Russia activated Tuesday a radar warning system in its Baltic region of Kaliningrad, amid growing tensions with the West over a planned US missile system.
President Dmitry Medvedev, who last week threatened to deploy ballistic missiles on the borders of the European Union, attended the inauguration ceremony during a visit to Kaliningrad, an area of Russian territory outside its main borders that sits next to EU members Poland and Lithuania.
“I expect that this step will be seen by our partners as the first signal of the readiness of our country to make an adequate response to the threats which the Western missile shield poses for our strategic nuclear forces,” Medvedev said.
He added, “If this signal is not heard, we will deploy other methods of protection, including the taking of tough countermeasures and the deployment of strike forces.”
The radar will go on “combat duty” from Dec. 1, the state-run Ria Novosti news agency reported.
The dispute over the missile shield highlights growing tensions between Moscow and Washington, which has been struggling to defend the benefits of a so-called reset in relations with Russia.
The US says the missile system in Europe is aimed at thwarting an attack from rogue states such as Iran.
Moscow argues that the shield will denude its own strike capabilities and has called for the US to deploy a shield with Russia or abolish the plan altogether.