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VOA News
11 August 2009

A top Russian military officer says his country is developing new missiles to counter space-based missile systems that could soon be deployed by the United States.

Russian news agencies quote Air Force General Alexander Zelin as saying the new Russian missiles will also defend against airborne attacks.

General Zelin, speaking to reporters Tuesday in Moscow, said the United States by 2030 will have deployed satellite-based missile systems capable of striking targets anywhere in Russia.

General Zelin said the new Russian S-500 surface-to-air system under development will be capable of defeating “all manner of ballistic missiles and supersonic air devices”. …

Moscow has voiced strong opposition to U.S. plans to deploy a land-based missile defense system in central Europe, saying it will trigger a new arms race. U.S. officials have insisted the system, in Poland and the Czech Republic, in no way targets Russia or anyone else and is aimed at countering a possible attack from such states as Iran. …

http://www.voanews.com/english/2009-08-11-voa26.cfm

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By MICHAEL SCHWIRTZ
July 16, 2009
New York Times

Russia’s new nuclear-capable Bulava missile has failed again, the Defense Ministry said Thursday, the Ria Novosti news agency reported. The missile, which Russian officials have said would be among the world’s most advanced weapons, was test-launched from a submarine in the White Sea on Wednesday and blew up after a first-stage malfunction, the ministry was quoted as saying. Out of 11 tests, fewer than half have been at least partly successful. …

www.nytimes.com/2009/07/17/world/europe/17briefs-russiamissile.html

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July 1, 2009
CBS News
Mark Knoller

In advance of Pres. Obama’s first trip to Russia next week, the White House is serving notice on the Kremlin that he won’t be making any concessions to win its approval of a U.S. missile shield in Europe or membership in NATO for Russian neighbors Ukraine and Georgia.

“We don’t need the Russians,” says Michael McFaul, special assistant to the president and senior director for Russian affairs on the National Security Council staff. …

“We’re definitely not going to use the word reassure in the way that we talk about these things,” said McFaul. “We’re not going to reassure or give or trade anything with the Russians regarding NATO expansion or missile defense.”

He said Pres. Obama will talk “very frankly” with Medvedev about U.S. national security interests and “see if there are ways we can have Russia cooperate on those things.”

Pres. Obama has pledged to reset U.S. relations with Russia, but McFaul said there’d be no concessions on missile defense or NATO “in the name of reset.”

He said Mr. Obama will make the case that Russia can play a role in enhancing its own security with respect to missile defense. …

www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2009/07/01/politics/politicalhotsheet/entry5128736.shtml

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Associated Press
June 21, 2009
By Arthur Max

Russia is ready for deep cuts of strategic nuclear weapons in a new deal with the United States if the U.S. eases Moscow’s concerns about plans for a missile defense system, President Dmitry Medvedev said Saturday.

Medvedev lifted hopes for progress when President Barack Obama visits Moscow July 6-9 for talks focusing on replacing the 1991 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, which expires in December. …

“We cannot agree with U.S. plans to create a global missile defense system,” he said in a statement released by the Kremlin. “I would like to emphasize that the proposed cuts are only possible if the U.S. relieves Russian concerns. In any case, the link between strategic offensive and defensive weapons must be clearly fixed in the treaty.”

Medvedev, however, stopped short of saying the U.S. must dump missile defense plans, and the wording of his statement indicated that Russia was ready for a compromise. …

www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iZMbalTrRk_kUNXLPNp0yWJmyUZwD98UDGT00

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Reuters
June 17, 2009
By Dmitry Solovyov

MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russia hopes U.S. President Barack Obama will not pursue his predecessor’s plan to deploy weapons in space but Moscow is ready to respond appropriately to any such moves, a senior Russian general said on Wednesday.

Russia, negotiating with the United States a new treaty to curb nuclear arms to replace the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START-1) expiring in December, has argued against the “weaponization of space.”

President Dmitry Medvedev, due to receive Obama next month on his first visit to Moscow, has said Russia’s conditions for new nuclear arms accords include banning arms in space. …

“As far as I know, today’s U.S. administration has somewhat different plans — they have become more down-to-earth and more realistic,” one of Russia’s deputy defense ministers Vladimir Popovkin, in charge of weapons, told a news conference.

He said Russia could find a cheap way of dealing with any potential U.S. space defense system. …

www.reuters.com/article/politicsNews/idUSTRE55G4I820090617

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