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Expert Views Russia's Possible Response To US Missile Defence System

Kremlin and Saint Basil'sMoscow, 19 October: If the USA refuses to provide legal guarantees of a peaceful nature (as received) of the European missile defence system to Russia, it will do the same in the Asia-Pacific Region (APR), the head of the Centre for Military Forecasting at the Institute of Political and Military Analysis, Anatoliy Tsyganok, thinks.

"If the USA refuses to provide legal guarantees for the missile defence system in Europe, this will also apply to the APR," he told RIA Novosti.

Tsyganok was commenting on US Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Ellen Tauscher's statement, who said on Tuesday (18 October) that Washington was prepared to offer written assurances of a peaceful nature of the future missile defence system in Europe but could not provide legally binding guarantees demanded by Moscow.

"If the Americans do not provide legal guarantees now, this presents Russia with a rather complicated problem," Tsyganok believes.

According to him, if the USA refuses to recognize legally that the European missile defence system is not directed against Russia, there may be a response from Moscow. He explained that Russia was already "forming a battalion of Iskander (missile systems) in the Kaliningrad Special Military District and in the Leningrad (Military) District". In addition, means of radio-electronic suppression (REP) will be used to jam the missile defence navigation stations in Europe. "But both of these will be fairly difficult to implement," the head of the Centre for Military Forecasting thinks.

According to him, "this is about not only the missile defence system in Europe. The USA is deploying a missile defence system in the Asia-Pacific Region as well". He added that he was talking about two joint groups of the USA (four ships with Japan and another four ships with South Korea equipped with the Aegis combat information and control systems).

Tsyganok believes that it will be difficult for Russia to jam this navigation. He explained that "we still do not have the Glonass system, without which it will be difficult to accurately locate all these cruisers equipped with the Aegis systems". This applies to both the Asia-Pacific Region, the Black Sea and the Mediterranean Sea.

At the same time, if Russia receives legal guarantees from the USA, it will save significantly on the military-industrial complex, Tsyganok noted. "We would spend less money on the production of missiles and radio-electronic suppression systems. During a crisis, it would be beneficial for Russia, but the Americans are not giving this opportunity to Russia," the expert concluded.


Russia, Nuclear Issues, Missile Defense - Russian News - Russia - Johnson's Russia List

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