Poland: Russian missile reports 'worrying'

Iskander rocket system: photo - Aleksey Toritsyn/ Wikimedia Commons

The German Bild newspaper reported over the weekend, citing satellite images, that Russia has stationed up to 10 Iskander rocket launching systems in its Kaliningrad enclave, with a range that includes the whole of Poland and stretches as far west as the German capital.

An anonymous official at Russia's Land Forces Command told the Russian Izvestia daily that the missiles have been deployed near Poland's border for a year and a half, though Russian defence ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov would only confirm that, "Iskander operational-tactical missile systems have indeed been commissioned by the Western Military District's missile and artillery forces,.

Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski gave a cautious response on Tuesday, saying that "according to our information [the newspaper reports] are exaggerated" and "need to be confirmed".

"This is a matter for the whole NATO," Sikorski added, however. "The establishment of new types of weapons anywhere near the borders of the Alliance is not something that pleases us. We consider it unnecessary."

Earlier, Poland's foreign ministry issued a statement: "Plans to deploy new Iskander-M rockets in [Kaliningrad] are worrying [and] would contradict effective Polish-Russian co-operation, in particular with respect to this region, and undermine constructive dialogue between Nato and Russia. We will raise this topic in our bilateral contacts with the Russian side."

Lithuania's Defence Minister Juozas Olekas said: "I am worried about signals that Russia is about to modernise missile systems it has deployed in Kaliningrad. Further militarisation of this region, bordering the Baltic states and Nato, creates further anxiety, and we will be watching the situation there closely.'' (pg)