US/NATO Defends Romanian Missile Shield (VIDEO)
Channel: Civil Disturbia
Date: 2016-05-12

U.S. Defends Missile Shield in Romania
http://www.nytimes.com/video/world/europe/100000004402609/us-defends-missile-shield-in-romania.html?playlistId=1194811622205

Robert Work, the deputy secretary of defense, addressed Russia’s concerns over the United State’s missile shield in Romania, saying the shield is not targeting Russia.

Kremlin considers NATO's missile shield "direct threat"
http://www.b92.net/eng/news/world.php?yyyy=2016&mm=05&dd=12&nav_id=97987

NATO's missile defense shield that went online in Romania represents a direct threat to Russia's security, the Kremlin has announced.
Statement after NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that the installation was not a threat to Russia.
"From the very outset we kept saying that in the opinion of our experts the deployment of an anti-missile defense poses a threat to Russia," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday, according to TASS. 

He added: "The question is not whether measures will be taken or not; measures are being taken to maintain Russia’s security at the necessary level." 

Peskov also "recalled that Russian President Vladimir Putin repeatedly asked who that system was working against and who it would be working against in the future."

Meanwhile in Romania, President Klaus Iohannis said the shield was "not a threat to anyone" - and that it "cannot be used in offensive operations."

New US Missile Defense Systems in Europe 'Not Directed Against Russia'
http://sputniknews.com/world/20160512/1039507834/us-missile-defense-systems-europe-russia.html?

The new US missile defense systems planned for deployment in Europe are not directed against Russia, US Department of State spokesman Noel Clay told Sputnik on Thursday.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) – Earlier in the day, the head of Russia's Arms Committee in the upper house of parliament, Viktor Ozerov, said that Moscow could withdraw from the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) in response to new missile defense systems being deployed in Eastern Europe.

Russia cries foul as Nato activates missile defences in Europe
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/05/12/russia-cries-foul-as-nato-activates-a-missile-defence-shield-in/?

Tensions between Russia and the West rose still further on Thursday when Nato declared that a missile defence site in Romania had become operational.

A battery of American SM-3 interceptors, designed to shoot down incoming missiles, was activated at Deveselu military base. A similar facility is due to become operational in Poland in 2018.

Only a handful of interceptors will be deployed at the two bases, enough to protect Europe against attack from a country possessing a small arsenal of nuclear missiles. The missile shield would be of minimal use against Russia, which has about 300 inter-continental ballistic missiles on land and scores more deployed on submarines.

Nonetheless, Russia claims to sees the missile defence plan as direct threat to the deterrent power of its own nuclear arsenal. “From the very outset, we kept saying that in the opinion of our experts the deployment of an anti-missile defence poses a threat to Russia," said Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin spokesman.
He described how President Vladimir Putin had "repeatedly asked who that system was working against and who it would be working against in the future”.

Vladimir Putin accused of 'nuclear sabre-rattling' as he promises 40 new Russian missiles
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/russia/11678521/Vladimir-Putin-says-Russia-beefing-up-nuclear-arsenal-with-40-new-ballistic-missiles.html

Nato accused Russia of "nuclear sabre-rattling" on Tuesday when Vladimir Putin promised to deploy at least 40 new inter-continental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) this year.
Russia possesses about 300 ICBMs, so this ambitious plan will see the replacement of 13 per cent of the country's entire arsenal in one year, representing an almost unprecedented rate of modernisation.
The older weapons will be withdrawn and succeeded by new SS-27 missiles, each capable of delivering between four and six strategic nuclear warheads. If loaded to full capacity, these new ICBMs could deliver 240 nuclear warheads – more than Britain’s entire arsenal.
Speaking at the opening of “Army 2015”, an exhibition of weapons outside Moscow, Mr Putin said: “This year the size of our nuclear forces will increase by over 40 new inter-continental ballistic missiles that will be able to overcome any, even the most technologically advanced, missile defence systems.”
Mr Putin’s announcement came after Poland and Lithuania said they were negotiating with America over a plan to store US heavy weapons, including Abrams main battle tanks, within their borders. The plan calls for the US army to “pre-position” the weapons and equipment – but not troops – for one brigade in six countries along Nato’s eastern flank.