Moscow is concerned that the United States has begun to deploy weapons at an anti-missile defense (ABM) base being created in northern Poland. This was stated on Thursday, June 24, by Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko.
"This is a subject of our constant concern. These deployment plans have been known to us for a long time, we consider them as aimed at undermining strategic stability," Grushko said on the sidelines of the Moscow International Security Conference.
On June 22, it became known that Washington had begun deploying weapons at the missile defense base being created in the north of Poland in Redzikovo. They have already completed and tested the operation of the SPY-1D(V) radar and the fire control system (FCS).
Back in 2016, the United States and Poland held a groundbreaking ceremony for the base in Redzikovo, the US Embassy in this country notes on its website. It was expected that the facility would be put into operation by August 2018, but, according to Defense News, the date was postponed due to problems with the contractor.
The construction of the base is planned to be completed next year. The project is already about 95% ready.
The Aegis Ashore facility in Poland is the third stage of the integrated US missile defense system, known as the European Phased Adaptive Approach to Missile Defense. The system includes the Aegis Ashore site in Romania, AN AN / TPY-2 radar in Turkey and four US Navy Aegis-equipped destroyers in Spain.
It was reported that the missile defense system will protect the European territories of NATO, the population and the deployed US forces from the threat of ballistic missiles outside the Euro-Atlantic region.
In 2019, Russian President Vladimir Putin noted that it was the United States that withdrew from the Treaty on the Elimination of Intermediate-range and Shorter-range Missiles (INF) and deployed Aegis Ashore systems capable of launching Tomahawk cruise missiles in Romania and Poland.
The Russian leader then pointed out that such actions carry a direct threat.
