Putin: Russian missiles will be aimed at US bases

Russian President Vladimir Putin warned in an interview that US plans to build a missile defense system in Eastern Europe would force Moscow to target its weapons at sites in Europe.

The threat, voiced in an interview with Italy's Corriere della Sera , marked one of Mr Putin's most strident statements to date against the US plans.

Mr Putin was asked whether the US missile defence shield in Eastern Europe would compel Moscow to direct its own missiles at locations and US military sites in Europe, as during the Cold War.

"Naturally, yes," Mr Putin said, according to Corriere. "If the American nuclear potential grows in European territory, we have to give ourselves new targets in Europe. It is up to our military to define these targets, in addition to defining the choice between ballistic and cruise missiles. But this is just a technical aspect," he was quoted as saying.

It was unclear what Mr Putin was referring to when talking about new targets in Europe. Russia has not overtly targeted Europe since signing a series of agreements with the US and European nations in the 1990s on not directing its missiles against specific countries, according to Pavel Felgenhauer, an military analyst in Moscow. He added, however, that that was simply a technical matter, since a missile can be given a target within minutes.

The United States made a formal request in January to place a radar base in a military area southwest of Prague in the Czech Republic, and 10 interceptor missiles in neighbouring Poland, as part of a missile defence shield that Washington says would protect against Iran.

The US plans have brought a strong reaction from Russia, which accuses the United States of threatening Russian territory and of trying to start a new arms race.