Russia to move nuclear-capable missiles closer to Europe as Vladimir Putin claims Nato expansion is threat
Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, said on Monday he would move nuclear-capable missiles closer to Europe in response to Nato’s expansion in the Baltic states.
In a bold display of force against Western allies, Russian S-400 surface-to-air missiles and a ballistic Iskander system will be deployed in Kaliningrad, which is situated between Lithuania and Poland.
Iskander missiles have a range of 450 miles, which means they could hit Berlin if launched from Kaliningrad.
“We are concerned by Nato decision making,” Mr Putin said an interview broadcast on Monday. “We have, therefore, to take countermeasures, which means to target with our missile systems the facilities that in our opinion start posing a threat to us.”
The remarks are among the sharpest Mr Putin has made about Nato’s expansion of its facilities in eastern Europe, which it says was in response to Russia’s “aggressive actions” in Ukraine.
His deployment of missiles in Kaliningrad also suggests an emboldening of Moscow’s foreign policy following the election of Donald Trump, who has said he wants to build closer ties with the Kremlin.
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