WARSAW, Poland — The Polish government says it is highly concerned that Russia has moved nuclear-capable Iskander ballistic missiles into Kaliningrad, a Russian region on Poland's border.

Russia says the missiles are being deployed as part of regular military maneuvers to the territory, which is wedged between Poland and Lithuania.

Polish Defense Minister Antoni Macierewicz said Saturday that Poland considers the matter of "highest concern."

Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj.-Gen. Igor Konashenkov, however, played down the concerns.

In a statement Saturday he says "The Iskander ballistic missile system is mobile. As part of the plan of combat training, missile troops units are engaged in training on a year-round basis, covering great distances of the Russian territory in various ways: by air, by sea, and under their own power." </s> WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Poland said Saturday it is highly concerned that Russia has moved nuclear-capable Iskander ballistic missiles into Kaliningrad, a Russian region on Poland’s northeastern border.

Russia, meanwhile, says the missiles are being deployed as part of regular military maneuvers to Kaliningrad.

The development comes amid heightened tensions between Russia and the West over Syria.

Polish Defense Minister Antoni Macierewicz said Poland considers the matter of “highest concern” and is monitoring the situation.

The Iskander, which can be equipped with a conventional or a nuclear warhead, has a range of 500 kilometers (310 miles), placing most of Poland within its reach when they are in Kaliningrad.

“The Iskander ballistic missile system is mobile,” he said in a statement Saturday. “As part of the plan of combat training, missile troops units are engaged in training on a year-round basis, covering great distances of the Russian territory in various ways: by air, by sea, and under their own power.”

Wedged between NATO members Poland and Lithuania and the Baltic Sea, Kaliningrad is vital to Russia’s strategic position. Separated from the Russian mainland by 435 miles (700 kilometers), it is the westernmost part of Russia. It houses the Russian Baltic Fleet, as well as multiple land forces and an air force detachment with fighters, bombers and helicopters, as well as an early-warning radar system and other equipment. </s> WARSAW, Poland — Poland and Estonia expressed concerns Saturday that Russia has moved nuclear-capable Iskander ballistic missiles into Kaliningrad, a Russian region on the Baltic Sea, with one official saying Russia appears eager to dominate that body of water.

Russia, meanwhile, says the missiles are being deployed as part of regular military maneuvers to Kaliningrad.

The development comes amid heightened tensions between Russia and the West over Syria.

"It seems to me that this is yet another step in the general context of escalation that we see, at least in rhetoric," said outgoing Estonian president Toomas Hendrik Ilves, according to Estonian broadcaster ERR.

Polish Defense Minister Antoni Macierewicz said Poland considers the matter of "highest concern" and is monitoring the situation.

The chief of staff of the Estonian Defense Forces, Lt. Gen. Riho Terras told ERR that he sees the move as part of a larger Russian attempt to dominate the Baltic Sea.

"In the long term, Russia's wish is to bring the Baltic Sea and the passages leading to it more and more under its control, and to control it much like it does the Black Sea," Terras said.

Wedged between NATO members Poland and Lithuania and the Baltic Sea, Kaliningrad is vital to Russia's strategic position. Separated from the Russian mainland by 435 miles (700 kilometers), it is the westernmost part of Russia. It houses the Russian Baltic Fleet, as well as multiple land forces and an air force detachment with fighters, bombers and helicopters, as well as an early-warning radar system and other equipment.

The Iskander, which can be equipped with a conventional or a nuclear warhead, has a range of at least 500 kilometers (310 miles), placing most of Poland within its reach when it is in Kaliningrad.

"The Iskander ballistic missile system is mobile," he said in a statement Saturday. "As part of the plan of combat training, missile troops are engaged in training on a year-round basis, covering great distances of the Russian territory in various ways: by air, by sea, and under their own power."

He also said Russia used the deployment to figure out what range a U.S. spy satellite has.

"We exposed one Iskander before loading it on the Ambal (a cargo carrier) right under a U.S. reconnaissance satellite flying above in order to verify the parameters of that space apparatus. We did not have to wait too long (for results)," he said, without elaborating.

Other countries in the region are also nervous.

Finland and the United States signed a bilateral defense cooperation pact Friday pledging closer military collaboration at the time when the Nordic country is increasingly concerned over neighboring Russia's activities in the Baltic Sea.

Jan M. Olsen in Copenhagen, Denmark, contributed to this report. </s> The United States believes that Russia has moved powerful nuclear-capable ballistic missiles into Kaliningrad, a region along the Baltic coast bordering Poland and Lithuania, Reuters reports Saturday.

According to Reuters, citing an unnamed source in U.S. intelligence, Russia has deployed nuclear-capable Iskander-M ballistic missile systems in Kaliningrad region.

The source, who asked to remain anonymous, said that the reasons of deployment of the ballistic missile systems in Kaliningrad “could be innocuous.”

There still are no comments of the Russian side in connection with the statement.

According to the annual report ‘International Security and Estonia 2016’, published in March by the Estonian Information Department (also known as the Estonian Information System Authority), which deals with foreign intelligence, Estonian authorities fear the Iskander cruise missiles, deployed near Kaliningrad region and the borders with Estonia and Latvia. However, at the same time, the report noted that the use of tactical nuclear weapons against facilities, located in Estonia, or units of the NATO, stationed here, is unlikely.

Russia does not have any restrictions on deployment of the systems, but in any case it is necessary to analyze the military situation, Permanent Representative of Russia to the NATO, Alexander Grushko, said in late June, commenting on the possibility of deployment the Iskander missile systems in Kaliningrad. Meanwhile, Chief of Missile Forces and Artillery of the Russian Ground Forces, Major General Mikhail Matveevsky said in May 2015 that the missile brigade of the Russian Armed Forces, deployed in Kaliningrad region, as all other missile brigades, will be rearmed with the Iskander-M operational-tactical systems by 2018. </s> Russia has successfully tested intercontinental ballistic missiles intended for its "nuclear trains" program.

Tests on missiles for the Barguzin "railway-based combat rocket system" were carried out at the Plesetsk cosmodrome two weeks ago, the state-owned Interfax news agency reports.

"They were fully successful," a military source told the agency, "paving the way for further flight tests."

The mobile weapons platform, made up of several train carriages designed to conceal the launchers of six Yars or Yars-M thermonuclear ICBMs and their command units, are expected to enter service between 2018 and 2020.

Lieutenant-General Sergai Karakayev, who commands Russia's strategic missile forces, said the Barguzin would be superior to the Soviet-era Molodets nuclear trains in accuracy and range.

He expects them to be in service until 2040.

The Soviet Union had 12 Molodets trains in total, each of which were equipped with three nuclear missiles. Known by the Nato designation Scalpel, they were disposed of between 2003 and 2005.

Russia's latest advancement in its nuclear weapons technology comes as a senior MP announced the deployment of nuclear-capable missiles to the Kaliningrad exclave.

Moscow will deploy S-400 surface-to-air missiles and nuclear-capable Iskander missiles to the exclave, which borders Poland and Lithuania.

The Kremlin has brushed off Western criticism of the deployment of state-of-the art missiles in the Baltic Sea region, describing it as an equivalent response to Nato's military build-up near its borders.

On Monday, US State Department spokesman John Kirby warned the deployment of Iskander and S-400 missiles to Kaliningrad is "destabilising to European security" and urged Moscow to "refrain from words or deeds that are inconsistent with the goal of promoting security and stability in the Euro-Atlantic region".

President Vladimir Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, told reporters that the Russian military needs to respond to what he described as Nato's aggressive moves.

"Russia is doing what is necessary to protect itself amid Nato's expansion toward its borders," Mr Peskov said.

"The alliance is a truly aggressive bloc, so Russia does what it has to do. It has every sovereign right to take necessary measures throughout the territory of the Russian Federation."

Moscow has also deployed new anti-ship missiles on Pacific islands controlled by Russia but also claimed by Japan.

Bal and Bastion missile systems have been stationed on the islands, called the southern Kurils by Russia and the Northern Territories by Japan, the Boyevaya Vakhta (Combat Duty) newspaper of Russia's Pacific Fleet reports.

The disagreement over the islands, seized by the Soviet Union at the end of World War II, has kept the two countries from signing a peace treaty formally ending their wartime hostilities. </s> MOSCOW (AP) — The Russian military has deployed state-of-the art anti-shipping missiles in the nation's westernmost Baltic region, the Interfax news agency reported Monday, a move that comes amid spiraling tensions in Russia-West ties.

Interfax said Monday that the military has put Bastion missile-launchers on duty in the Kaliningrad exclave that borders NATO members Poland and Lithuania. The Russian Defense Ministry said over the weekend that the Baltic Fleet was rearming itself with new missile-launchers, but didn't provide specifics.

The ministry had no immediate comment on the Interfax report.

The Bastion fires supersonic Oniks cruise missiles, which have a range of up to 450 kilometers (280 miles) and can be used against ships as well as ground targets. Last week, it made its combat debut in Syria where the Russian military used it against militants.

Separately, Viktor Ozerov, the head of the defense affairs committee in the Russian parliament's upper house, told RIA Novosti news agency Monday that Russia would also deploy Iskander tactical ballistic missiles and S-400 air defense missile systems to Kaliningrad in response to the U.S. missile defense plans.

"We are facing two main tasks — to penetrate air defenses and ensure protection from possible strikes," Ozerov said.

The S-400, which Russia has used to protect its air base in Syria, is a sophisticated system that can simultaneously track and strike multiple aerial targets at ranges of up to 400 kilometers (250 miles). Based in the Kaliningrad region, the S-400s will be capable of targeting NATO aircraft and missiles over most of the Baltic region.

Iskander has a range of up to 500 kilometers (310 miles) and high precision, allowing it to target facilities in several NATO member nations neighboring Russia with pinpoint accuracy. It can be fitted with a conventional or a nuclear warhead.

Last month, the deployment of Iskander missiles to the Kaliningrad region worried Russia's neighbors. The Russian military said the move was part of regular training, but didn't specify whether the missiles were sent there temporarily or deployed on a permanent basis.

The Kremlin long has warned that the development of NATO's U.S.-led missile defense system poses a danger to Russia's security and vowed to take countermeasures. Moscow also has complained strongly against the deployment of NATO's military units near Russia's borders.

"To counter these threats, we will be forced to strengthen our air and missile defenses in the western vector and to deploy additional means to defend the relevant command-and-control infrastructure," Ozerov told RIA Novosti. </s> Image copyright EPA Image caption The Iskander system (file photo) could reach the German capital, Berlin

Russia has deployed nuclear-capable Iskander missiles in its western-most region, Kaliningrad, which borders on Nato members Poland and Lithuania.

Poland said the development was of the "highest concern", adding it was monitoring the situation.

Russia's defence ministry said the new deployment was part of military exercises and had happened before.

The US and Nato have seen disagreements with Russia intensify in recent times, particularly over Syria and Ukraine.

Kaliningrad is a Russian enclave sandwiched between Poland and Lithuania.

Are Russia's military advances a problem for Nato?

Nato and Russia - in search of dialogue

The Iskander system has a range of up to 700km (440 miles) and could reach the German capital, Berlin.

Polish Defence Minister Antoni Macierewicz called Russia's activities "very alarming".

And a US intelligence official told Reuters the move could be to express displeasure at Nato. Nato is boosting its eastern flank by deploying four battalions in Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia next year.

Kaliningrad facts

Koenigsberg, as the city of Kaliningrad was once known, was founded by Teutonic knights in the 13th Century. It was once the capital of Prussia

Annexed from Germany after WWII. Germans fled or were expelled

Is more than 300km away from Russia, which can only be reached through an EU country

It houses the Russian Baltic Fleet and is the country's only ice-free European port

The philosopher Immanuel Kant spent all his life in the city and died there in 1804

Kaliningrad profile

But Russian defence ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said the deployment was "not exceptional".

Russia's annexation of Crimea and its support for rebels fighting in eastern Ukraine provoked considerable alarm in this region that Moscow might also consider aggressive action against countries on Nato's eastern flank, says the BBC's Adam Eston in Warsaw.

Nato sought to soothe those fears at its Warsaw summit in July by announcing it would deploy troops to both the Baltic states and Poland, our correspondent says.

Nato said it was a purely defensive action but Moscow sees it as a threat and the deployment of the missiles could be viewed as a counter measure, he adds.

Iskanders were sent to Kaliningrad during military drills last year.

Russia's annexation of Crimea and its support of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad continue to test relations with Western powers.

Finland, Sweden, Estonia and Latvia are among nations reporting recent air-space violations by Russia's military. </s> MOSCOW -- The Kremlin on Tuesday brushed off Western criticism of the deployment of state-of-the-art missiles in Russia's Baltic Sea region, describing it as an equivalent response to NATO's military buildup near its borders.

The Russian military has reportedly stationed anti-ship missiles in the nation's westernmost Kaliningrad province, and a senior lawmaker also has announced the deployment of other missile systems.

The U.S. State Department and NATO have voiced concern, describing the Russian move as destabilizing.

President Vladimir Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, told reporters that the Russian military needs to respond to what he described as NATO's aggressive moves.

"Russia is doing what is necessary to protect itself amid NATO's expansion toward its borders," Peskov said. "The alliance is a truly aggressive bloc, so Russia does what it has to do. It has every sovereign right to take necessary measures throughout the territory of the Russian Federation."

The Interfax news agency reported Monday that the Russian military has put Bastion missile launchers on duty in the Kaliningrad exclave, which borders NATO members Poland and Lithuania. The Russian Defense Ministry said over the weekend that the Baltic Fleet was rearming itself with new missile launchers, but didn't provide specifics.

Separately, Viktor Ozerov, the head of the defense affairs committee in the Russian parliament's upper house, told RIA Novosti news agency Monday that Russia also would deploy Iskander tactical ballistic missiles and S-400 air defense missile systems to Kaliningrad in response to U.S. missile defense plans.

U.S. State Department spokesman John Kirby warned Monday that the deployment of Iskander and S-400 missiles to Kaliningrad is "destabilizing to European security" and urged Russia to "refrain from words or deeds that are inconsistent with the goal of promoting security and stability in the Euro-Atlantic region."

The Kremlin long has warned that the development of NATO's U.S.-led missile defense system poses a danger to Russia's security and vowed to take countermeasures.

In an interview with U.S. filmmaker Oliver Stone included in a documentary about the Ukrainian crisis broadcast in Russia late Monday, Putin warned that Russia would target NATO sites if it thinks they threaten Russia.

"We have to take countermeasures, targeting the facilities that we perceive as a threat with our missile systems," Putin said. </s> MOSCOW — The Kremlin on Tuesday brushed off Western criticism of the deployment of state-of-the art missiles in Russia's Baltic Sea region, describing it as an equivalent response to NATO's military buildup near its borders.

The Russian military has reportedly stationed anti-shipping missiles in the nation's westernmost Kaliningrad exclave, and a senior lawmaker also has announced the deployment of other missile systems.

President Vladimir Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, told reporters that the Russian military needs to response to what he described as NATO's aggressive moves.

"Russia is doing what is necessary to protect itself amid NATO's expansion toward its borders," Peskov said. "The alliance is a truly aggressive bloc, so Russia does what it has to do. It has every sovereign right to take necessary measures throughout the territory of the Russian Federation."

The Interfax news agency reported Monday that the Russian military has put Bastion missile-launchers on duty in the Kaliningrad region, which borders NATO members Poland and Lithuania. The Russian Ministry said over the weekend that the Baltic Fleet was rearming itself with new missile-launchers, but didn't provide specifics. It had no immediate comment on the Interfax report.

Separately, Viktor Ozerov, the head of the affairs committee in the Russian parliament's upper house, told RIA Novosti news agency Monday that Russia would also deploy Iskander tactical ballistic missiles and S-400 air missile systems to Kaliningrad in response to the U.S. missile plans.

U.S. State Department spokesman John Kirby warned Monday that the deployment of Iskander and S-400 missiles to Kaliningrad is "destabilizing to European security" and urged Moscow to "refrain from words or deeds that are inconsistent with the goal of promoting security and stability in the Euro-Atlantic region."

NATO said in a statement to The Associated Press on Tuesday that the missile deployment near the alliance's borders "does not help to lower tensions or restore predictability to our relations." NATO called for more transparency on military activities "to avoid incidents and the risk of misunderstandings."

"Russia isn't a source of security threat now. It's the buildup of weapons and servicemen from outside Europe," he said pointing at U.S. missile sites in Europe and the planned buildup of U.S. troops in Poland and the Baltics.

The Kremlin long has warned that the development of NATO's U.S.-led missile system poses a danger to Russia's security and vowed to take countermeasures. Moscow also has complained strongly against the deployment of NATO's military units near Russia's borders.

In an interview with American filmmaker Oliver Stone included in a documentary about the Ukrainian crisis broadcast in Russia late Monday, Putin warned that Russia would target NATO sites if it thinks they threaten Russia.
Russian President Vladimir Putin deploys the nuclear-capable Iskander mobile short-range ballistic missile system to the Russian Kaliningrad exclave between Poland and Lithuania.