Russia may supply missiles to Belarus
By VLADIMIR ISACHENKOV, Associated Press Writer 4 minutes ago
MOSCOW - A senior general warned Wednesday that Russia could send short-range missiles to Belarus as part of efforts to counter planned U.S. missile defense sites in Europe, Russian news reports said.
The U.S. plan would install a radar base in the Czech Republic and 10 interceptor missiles in Poland — both former Soviet satellites that are now NATO members. It is part of a wider missile shield involving defenses in California and Alaska that the United States says are to defend against any long-range missile attack from countries such as North Korea or Iran.
President Vladimir Putin and other officials have warned that Russia could target the planned U.S. defense sites in Europe with its missiles.
"Why not — given adequate conditions and an adequate Belarusian opposition," Zaritsky said.
"There is a common task and we are prepared to work with them," Zaritsky said.
Iskander‘s current version has a range of 190 miles; a new version equipped with cruise missiles capable of striking targets at a distance of 310 miles has been tested earlier this year, ITAR-Tass said. Zaritsky said the upgraded version would become operational in 2009.
Russian news reports also quoted Zaritsky as saying that Iskander‘s range could be extended beyond 310 miles if Moscow decides to opt out of a Cold War-era treaty that banned intermediate-range missiles.
"Iskander complies fully with conditions of the INF Treaty, but if a political decision is made to withdraw from the treaty, we will improve its capability, including range," Zaritsky said. "Whatever the Motherland has to say."
Putin announced the intention to halt its obligations under the treaty pointing at NATO‘s failure to ratify its amended version.
Tensions over the U.S. missile defense plans and arms control agreements have strained Russia‘s ties with the West, drawing comparisons with Cold War times.
(This version CORRECTS that Russian general referred to sending missiles, not specifically deploying them.)