The tests of new missiles and the moratorium on Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe are Russia’s response to the planned deployment of the U.S. missile defense system in Europe, President Vladimir Putin, right, made clear after meeting Greek President Karolos Papoulias, left.
Photo: Dmitry Azarov
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Russia Responded to U.S. Defense Shield by Testing New Missiles
The tests of new missiles and the moratorium on Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe are Russia’s response to the planned deployment of the U.S. missile defense system in Europe, President Vladimir Putin said after meeting Greek President Karolos Papoulias.
These actions of Russia, Putin said, are not to be feared of as they are not of aggressive nature. It is just the response to rather tough and ungrounded unilateral actions of partners.
“The world has changed and there was an attempt to make in unipolar, some participators of foreign relations have developed desire to dictate their will to everyone, without agreeing their actions with regulations of international communication and law. It is nothing else but dictation and imperialism,” Putin pointed out.
”Our American partners have withdrawn from the ABM Treaty. We immediately warned them that we would respond to maintain global strategic balance and that our response would be asymmetrical,” Putin reminded, emphasizing that it was not Russia that initiated a new round of arms race.
“Our actions are targeted at maintaining balance worldwide. It is extremely vital for maintaining global security,” Putin was emphatic.
Russia successfully tested its new R-500 cruise missile on May 29, 2007. The missile was launched by Iskander-M from the fourth training ground of Defense Ministry, Yar, the Astrakhan region of Russia.
On the same day, Russia held the first test of RS-24 ICBM capable of carrying multiple nuclear warheads. The missile was launched from Plesetsk spaceport.
www.kommersant.com
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