On Thursday Russia threatened to attack a new U.S. ballistic missile base in Redzikowo, Poland with ‘advanced weapons’. The base opened on November 13.
“Given the nature and level of threats posed by such Western military facilities, the missile defense base in Poland has long been added to the list of priority targets for potential destruction, which, if necessary, can be executed with a wide range of advanced weapons,” Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said, according to Reuters on Thursday.
The new U.S. base in Redzikowo, Poland is designed to intercept incoming ballistic missiles, which may be the reason for Zakharova’s word choice of ‘advanced weapons’.
“[The base] is part of a broader NATO missile shield — known as ‘Aegis Ashore’ — that can intercept short- to intermediate-range ballistic missiles, according to the alliance,” the New York Post said on Thursday.
The Russian spokeswoman stated that the new base destabilizes the region and increases nuclear risks.
“This is another frankly provocative step in a series of deeply destabilizing actions by the Americans and their allies in the North Atlantic Alliance in the strategic sphere,” Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said, according to Reuters on Thursday. “This leads to undermining strategic stability, increasing strategic risks and, as a result, to an increase in the overall level of nuclear danger.”
Poland claims the base is not a threat and does not contain nuclear weapons.
“It is a base that serves the purpose of defense, not attack,” Pawel Wronski, Poland’s foreign ministry spokesman said, according to the New York Post on Thursday. “Such threats will certainly serve as an argument to strengthen Poland’s and NATO’s air defenses, and should also be considered by the United States.”
The Russian statement came directly after Moscow carried out an ICBM strike on a Ukrainian target in Dnipro on Thursday. The Russian strike Thursday follows strikes by the U.S. (via Ukraine) on Tuesday and strikes by the U.K. (via Ukraine) on Wednesday.