Russia Threatens to React to NATO Expansion

MOSCOW — Russia will have to respond as it is concerned by NATO’s active eastward expansion and the U.S. plans to deploy elements of a missile defense system in Europe, Russia’s top military officer said on Wednesday.

“If we say that we should tackle possible threats together, we should respect each other and trust each other instead of strengthening military blocs near the Russian border,” Gen. Nikolai Makarov, the chief of the General Staff of Russia’s armed forces, said on the Russia Today TV channel.

“This means we have to take appropriate measures in response,” Makarov said.

As for Poland’s repeated call for demilitarization of Russia’s western region, Makarov said no nuclear weapons had been deployed in the Baltic exclave of Kaliningrad.

“Last year we withdrew more than 600 tanks, about 600 armored vehicles and about 600 pieces of artillery from the Kaliningrad region. In return we’re getting a buildup of the missile defense system. Double standards alarm us,” he said.

The general said the missile shield was designed to defend illusory air strikes from Russia. “There are concerns that this missile defense system is directed against Russia.”

A new Russian military doctrine approved by President Dmitry Medvedev earlier this month defines NATO enlargement and the deployment of missile defense systems as main external threats of war Russia is facing.


Articles by: Global Research

Disclaimer: The contents of this article are of sole responsibility of the author(s). The Centre for Research on Globalization will not be responsible for any inaccurate or incorrect statement in this article. The Centre of Research on Globalization grants permission to cross-post Global Research articles on community internet sites as long the source and copyright are acknowledged together with a hyperlink to the original Global Research article. For publication of Global Research articles in print or other forms including commercial internet sites, contact: [email protected]

www.globalresearch.ca contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available to our readers under the provisions of "fair use" in an effort to advance a better understanding of political, economic and social issues. The material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving it for research and educational purposes. If you wish to use copyrighted material for purposes other than "fair use" you must request permission from the copyright owner.

For media inquiries: [email protected]