Putin Threatens to Target Neighbors

Associated Press
February 14, 2008 8:20 a.m.

MOSCOW -- President Vladimir Putin on Thursday repeated his threat to aim Russian rockets at former Soviet satellite states if U.S. missile defense facilities are deployed there.

Speaking about U.S. plans for interceptors in Poland and a radar system in the Czech Republic, Mr. Putin said that "our experts consider that this system threatens our national security and if it appears, we will be obligated to adequately react to this."

"We are warning people ahead of time: if you take this step, then we will make this step," Mr. Putin told assembled journalists at the Kremlin.

Mr. Putin also reiterated that Russian missiles could be aimed at Ukraine, which is pursuing NATO membership, if it agrees to host a missile-defense facility. Mr. Putin first issued that warning in a meeting this week with Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko.

Mr. Putin suggested that the U.S. and leaders of Poland and the Czech Republic were going ahead with plans for the missile defense system without asking for public approval, which he called undemocratic.

On the subject of Russian democracy, Mr. Putin -- who must relinquish the presidency under constitutional limits this spring -- said he has no reservations about becoming prime minister under his successor, saying the No. 2 post would give him sufficient power. Russia's premier is responsible for the country's budget, sets economic policy and is responsible for national defense, he noted. Mr. Putin has nominated Deputy Premier Dmitry Medvedev to succeed him, all but guaranteeing the Putin aide will be the next president.

Turning to a sore point in Moscow's relations with the West, Mr. Putin lashed out at the U.S. and other NATO nations over their refusal to ratify an amended version of the 1990 Conventional Forces in Europe Treaty.

Mr. Putin suspended Russia's participation in the pact in December, and on Thursday he said the restrictions Russia faced under the treaty were made unacceptable by NATO's eastward expansion after the 1991 Soviet collapse. He compared them to a situation in which U.S. troop movements from California to Texas would be subject to Russian approval, and declared that "we will no longer fulfill any colonial conditions."

Mr. Putin also addressed Russia's renewal of the Soviet-era practice of flying bombers around the world and close to other countries' borders, saying that Moscow isn't looking for a fight but must conduct the flights to keep its military in shape.

"No clash is planned, and I hope that will never happen," he said.