Poland expresses concern over Russia's missile deployment plans

Reported Russia's plans to deploy Iskander-M rockets in the Kaliningrad enclave are worrying, the Polish Foreign Ministry press office said on Monday. The Russian Defence Ministry confirmed reports in Germany's Bild newspaper that short range Iskander missiles were deployed in the Kalingrad enclave near borders with Poland and the Baltic states. Russia also plans to deploy Iskander-M missiles in the area, which is worrying, according to the Polish Foreign Ministry press office, although it was also stated that there had been no official confirmation of these plans. Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski was more cautious, saying the reports may well be exaggerated. If the deployment is confirmed it would harm Polish-Russian cooperation in the region as well as NATO-Russia dialogue. The Polish Foreign Ministry said "it is a problem of the whole NATO and one should expect potential consultations and actions at the NATO and EU forums." Iskander ballistic missiles, which can carry conventional or nuclear warheads, are placed on mobile platforms and have a range of up to 500 km.