Russia opposes planned U.S. anti-missile shield

Reuters reports that Russia has described U.S. plans to deploy an anti-missile shield in Poland as an attempt to shift the balance of power in the region. The U.S. has been investing billions of dollars to develop a missle defense system capable of of deploying rockets to shoot down 'hostile' missiles. Washington is currently entertaining the idea of building its largest anti-missile shield outside of the United States, in either Poland or the Czech Republic, among other locations. At a recent news conference Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov said that Russia saw this move by the U.S. as

"an element of destabilizing the situation, an attempt -- and no more than that -- to change somewhat the strategic balance."

Reuters reports that Moscow had already threatened to take "unspecified measures" against Poland should it comply with U.S. requests to host the anti-missile shield on Polish soil.

Poland has labeled the Russian protests 'premature' , claiming that no decision has yet been reached regarding the U.S. anti-missle shield.

-Travis

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Russia berates planned U.S. anti-missile shield (Reuters)