Baltic States – CIS, Latvia, Legislation, Transport

The Foreign Ministry's press secretary Janis Silis told LETA that NATO's missile defense systems is a missile defense system which will not be directed against Russia and does not alter Russia's strategic nuclear defense abilities. The NATO system is being implemented for protection from third countries.

''On the NATO side, cooperation on all levels has been completely transparent, with all the necessary information given, as well as specific cooperation proposals,'' Silis said.

As reported, Russia plans to deploy ''Iskander'' missiles on the European Union's border later this year, a source in its western Baltic Fleet told the Interfax news agency on Wednesday.

A source told the news agency that senior naval staff had confirmed plans to assign personnel for a naval unit set to service the missile complexes in the Kaliningrad enclave that borders EU members Poland and Lithuania.

"Recently in Moscow the senior command confirmed the staffing of a naval unit that is being created to put the ''Iskander'' missile complexes into service," the source said.

In November, President Dmitry Medvedev said Russia was prepared to deploy ''Iskander'' missiles, which officials said have a range of up to 500 kilometers (310 miles), to strike against a planned US defense system in Eastern Europe.

The first unit equipped with ''Iskander'' missiles is set to appear in the Kaliningrad region in the second half of the year, the source said, adding that ''S-400'' missile systems would be deployed there in spring.