Putin: Russian rockets will target Europeam sites

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

The threat, voiced in an interview with Italy's Corriere della Sera and other foreign media, marked one of Putin's most strident statements to date against the US plans and came just days before the Russian president is to join other leaders at a Group of Eight summit in Germany.

In the interview, Putin was asked whether the US move build a 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," 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," Putin was quoted as saying.

It was unclear what 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 independent military analyst based in Moscow.

He added, however, that that was simply a technical matter, since a missile can be given a target within minutes.

Previously, some Russian military officials have said Moscow could aim Russian weapons at Europe-based missile systems.

The United States made a formal request in January to place a radar base in a military area south-west of Prague, Czech Republic, and 10 interceptor missiles in neighbouring Poland as part of plans for a missile defence shield that Washington says would protect against a potential threat from 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.

Putin was interviewed on Friday at his dacha by journalists from each of the G8 countries, Corriere said.

The three-day summit, Wednesday to Friday at the Baltic Sea resort of Heiligendamm, will bring together leaders of the United States, Britain, Canada, Germany, France, Italy, Russia, and Japan.