The US has begun installing Aegis Ashore missile defense systems at Redzikowo base in Poland, the US Missile Defense Agency (MDA) said in a statement.
“The installation of the Aegis Ashore weapon system in Poland has begun. The Missile Defense Agency (MDA) has recently reached critical milestones for the installation of the Aegis weapon system at its facility in Redzikowo in Poland”, – the statement said.
In 2002, the United States withdrew from the anti-missile defense treaty with Russia, citing the need to develop a global missile defense system to defend against “rogue states” Iran and North Korea. In the same year, the United States and Russia agreed to implement a series of measures aimed at “building confidence and enhancing transparency in the field of missile defense”.
However, then the United States began to deploy its missile defense system in Poland and the Czech Republic. In 2009, this course was adjusted in favor of the so-called “non-strategic adaptive missile defense system”.
Now elements of the American missile defense system are deployed on the continental United States, in Europe (in Poland and Romania) and in the Asia-Pacific region. Marine ballistic missile interceptors (destroyers with anti-missile missiles) are deployed near the coasts of Russia and China. These countries have consistently opposed the deployment of the American missile defense system, considering it a threat to their national security. In addition, Russia is concerned about the use of universal launchers at missile defense bases in Romania and Poland, from which anti-missile and cruise missiles are launched on ships. The replacement of antimissiles with cruise missiles can be carried out covertly and in a short time – in this case, the entire European part of Russia will be targeted by cruise missiles.