The Independent
Russia's top military officer has threatened to launch a pre-emptive strike if Nato goes ahead with controversial plans for a missile defence system in Eastern Europe.
President Dmitry Medvedev said last year that Russia will retaliate militarily if it does not reach an agreement with the United States and Nato on the plans.
Chief of General Staff Nikolai Makarov went even further today.
"A decision to use destructive force pre-emptively will be taken if the situation worsens," he said.
Russian Defence Minister Anatoly Serdyukov also warned that talks between Moscow and Washington on the topic are "close to a dead end".
US missile defence plans in Europe have been one of the touchiest subjects in US-Russian relations for years.
Moscow rejects Washington's claim that the missile defence plan is solely to deal with any Iranian missile threat and has voiced fears it will eventually become powerful enough to undermine Russia's nuclear deterrent.
Moscow has proposed running the missile shield jointly with Nato, but the alliance has rejected that proposal.
Makarov's statement does not seem to imply an immediate threat, but aims to put extra pressure on Washington to agree to Russia's demands.
Chief of General Staff Nikolai Makarov went even further today.
"A decision to use destructive force pre-emptively will be taken if the situation worsens," he said.
Russian Defence Minister Anatoly Serdyukov also warned that talks between Moscow and Washington on the topic are "close to a dead end".
US missile defence plans in Europe have been one of the touchiest subjects in US-Russian relations for years.
Moscow rejects Washington's claim that the missile defence plan is solely to deal with any Iranian missile threat and has voiced fears it will eventually become powerful enough to undermine Russia's nuclear deterrent.
Moscow has proposed running the missile shield jointly with Nato, but the alliance has rejected that proposal.
Makarov's statement does not seem to imply an immediate threat, but aims to put extra pressure on Washington to agree to Russia's demands.
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