Russia has added the newly inaugurated US ballistic missile defense base in northern Poland to its list of “priority targets for potential elimination,” escalating tensions as the war in Ukraine continues.
The missile defense facility in Redzikowo, near Poland’s Baltic coast, was officially opened on November 13 and is part of NATO’s broader “Aegis Ashore” system designed to intercept short- to intermediate-range ballistic missiles.
In a statement on X (formerly Twitter), the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs declared, “The so-called US missile defence base (not really) in Poland has been put on the list of priority targets for potential elimination. The nature and level of threats posed by these Western military facilities are well-known & taken into account.”
‘Purely Defensive,’ Say NATO and Poland
Despite Moscow’s assertions, NATO and Poland have maintained that the base is purely defensive. On Wednesday, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg emphasized that the facility “significantly enhances our ability to defend against the growing threat of ballistic missiles from outside the Euro-Atlantic area.”
Poland’s foreign ministry spokesperson Pawel Wronski also dismissed Russia’s claims, stating, “It is a base that serves the purpose of defence, not attack.” He added, “Such threats will certainly serve as an argument to strengthen Poland’s and NATO’s air defences and should also be considered by the United States.”
Moscow Views Base as a Threat
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov criticized the base, claiming it represents an expansion of US military infrastructure closer to Russia’s borders.
Moscow has long expressed its opposition to NATO’s missile defense systems in Europe, viewing them as a threat to its national security. The base in Redzikowo, along with a similar system in Romania, has been a consistent point of contention between Russia and the West.
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