US Missiles Spark Buildup Along Russo-Polish Border

US Troops, Missiles to Be Just 35 Miles From Russian Frontier

by Jason Ditz, January 21, 2010

In a move which is already looking to revitalize the tensions between Russia and NATO, Poland’s Defense Minister has announced that the United States will deploy their promised missile defense in Morag, just 35 miles from the Russian border.

The US had originally planned for a missile defense base in Poland, sparking Russian ire and a threat of a retaliatory build-up in neighboring Kaliningrad. The base was scrapped, however, and the Obama Administration only later promised a Patriot missile commitment to Poland.

Both missile defense systems were ostensibly aimed at a missile threat from Iran, even though Iran’s best missiles have a maximum range well short of Poland. Russia has long suspected the systems were actually aimed at them, and the Polish decision to deploy them even closer to the border will likely reinforce that belief.

Shortly after the announcement, the Russian Navy announced that it is going to considerably upgrade its Baltic Fleet in Kaliningrad, adding a new class of warships with cruise missiles to the fleet.

Last 5 posts by Jason Ditz