Russia Reportedly Stops Missile Deployment
In what is seen as a response to ‘a change in US attitude’ toward the deployment of its missile shield system in Europe, Russia has reportedly halted its own deployment of short-range missiles in Kaliningrad.
BBC News reports that the move “would be a substantial conciliatory measure to the new US administration.”
Under the Bush administration, the U.S. struck agreements to position pieces of its missile defense shield in Poland and the Czech Republic as a deterrent to rogue missile threats – a move that angered Russia and prompted retaliatory measures including the deployment of short-range Iskander missiles to its Baltic enclave of Kaliningrad.
According to press reports, Russian news service Interfax quotes an unidentified senior Russian military official Wednesday morning as saying:
“The realization of these plans has been suspended in connection with the fact that the new US administration is not forging ahead with plans to deploy US missile defense elements” in east Europe.
What did they talk about?
The move has led to speculation about what U.S. President Obama and Russian President Medvedev spoke about during a call the two leaders had earlier this week.
Reuters writes in an analysis piece:
We don’t know what commitment, if any, U.S. President Barack Obama may have given to his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev on the missile shield.
Obama’s skepticism about the effectiveness and utility of missile defense was clearly stated during the campaign. But since the Russians unilaterally made the Kaliningrad threat on the day of his election, the suspension of the deployment plan is a clear goodwill gesture.
Kremlin denials abound
According to Voice of America:
Russian Defense Ministry officials are denying Russian news reports of a suspension of plans to deploy missiles in the country’s Baltic enclave of Kaliningrad.
The officials called the reports “premature. ” They said Russia has not taken any practical steps to deploy the short-range Iskander missiles and therefore one can not speak of a suspension.
While it appears as if a formal announcement has not been made, Russia is sending a positive signal to the new U.S. administration, which should not be discounted.
Tags: Europe, Kaliningrad, missile shield, Russia, short-range missile, U.S.
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