Russia threatens to target US missile sites in Central Europe

Moscow, Sep 10 (UNI) Russia today warned its Strategic Missile Forces could target some of their Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs) at US missile defence facilities in Poland and the Czech Republic.

Strategic Forces' commander Col Gen Nikolai Solovtsov said Russia's leaders were concerned over the lack of transparency in the planning of the US missile defence system rather than the actual deployment of the missiles in Poland and radar in the Czech Republic.

''Hence, we have to take appropriate action,'' RIA Novosti news agency quoted Gen Solovtsov as saying.

''I cannot rule out that should the country's military-political leadership make such a decision, some of our ICBMs could be targeted at missile defence sites in Poland and the Czech Republic, and subsequently at other such facilities,'' he said.

He said the Strategic Missile Forces already had superior missiles that were capable of successfully penetrating the US missile defence system that would not be in place until 2015-2020.

Gen Solovtsov said Russia would have a total of 50 silo-based Topol-M (SS-X-27) ICBMs by the end of the current year, while the number of mobile-launched Topol-Ms would increase to 15.

The missile, with a range of about 11,000 km, is said to be impervious to any current and future US defence systems.

UNI XC SKB GC1923