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US to unveil missiles in Poland amid Russian criticism 26 May 2010
The missile deployment was agreed under the Bush administration
A battery of US Patriot surface-to-air missiles is to be unveiled in Poland, amid criticism from Russia.
The missiles are positioned about 60km (40 miles) from the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad, and Russia said their deployment would not help ties.
The battery will be rotated in and out of Poland for the next two years, along with dozens of US troops who will train Polish counterparts to operate it.
It is the first US deployment of its kind in Poland, officials say.
The short-range Patriot missiles, which were delivered to a military base at Morag on Sunday, are designed to intercept surface-to-surface missiles.
'Unanswered questions'
A Russian foreign ministry statement on Wednesday criticised the move.
"Military activities like these do not contribute to strengthening our common security, developing relations of trust and predictability in the region," said the statement, which was carried on Russia's Itar-Tass news agency.
"We have more than once stated that we do not understand the logic and focus of US-Polish co-operation in this sphere," it said.
The statement also said Russian questions to the Poles and Americans had remained unanswered, as had their "arguments in favour of moving the area of temporary deployment farther from the Russian borders".
The Patriot missile deployment was originally planned under former US President George W Bush.
His administration agreed to a Polish request for the battery along with a broader missile defence plan that angered Russia.
US President Barack Obama scrapped the plan - a move that was welcomed by Russian officials - and announced his own, reconfigured missile defence policy.
Under the Bush administration plan Poland had been due to host 10 long-range interceptor missiles. It is now expected to host a smaller-scale defence base with short-range missiles.
BBC News - US to unveil missiles in Poland amid Russian criticism
The missile deployment was agreed under the Bush administration
A battery of US Patriot surface-to-air missiles is to be unveiled in Poland, amid criticism from Russia.
The missiles are positioned about 60km (40 miles) from the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad, and Russia said their deployment would not help ties.
The battery will be rotated in and out of Poland for the next two years, along with dozens of US troops who will train Polish counterparts to operate it.
It is the first US deployment of its kind in Poland, officials say.
The short-range Patriot missiles, which were delivered to a military base at Morag on Sunday, are designed to intercept surface-to-surface missiles.
'Unanswered questions'
A Russian foreign ministry statement on Wednesday criticised the move.
"Military activities like these do not contribute to strengthening our common security, developing relations of trust and predictability in the region," said the statement, which was carried on Russia's Itar-Tass news agency.
"We have more than once stated that we do not understand the logic and focus of US-Polish co-operation in this sphere," it said.
The statement also said Russian questions to the Poles and Americans had remained unanswered, as had their "arguments in favour of moving the area of temporary deployment farther from the Russian borders".
The Patriot missile deployment was originally planned under former US President George W Bush.
His administration agreed to a Polish request for the battery along with a broader missile defence plan that angered Russia.
US President Barack Obama scrapped the plan - a move that was welcomed by Russian officials - and announced his own, reconfigured missile defence policy.
Under the Bush administration plan Poland had been due to host 10 long-range interceptor missiles. It is now expected to host a smaller-scale defence base with short-range missiles.
BBC News - US to unveil missiles in Poland amid Russian criticism
