Russia has said it has identified a US missile base in Poland which it claims raises the prospect of a nuclear war between Moscow and Nato.
Moscow branded the facility in the town of Redzikowo near the Baltic coast a provocation on Thursday, just days after Washington permitted long-range missile strikes by Ukraine against targets on Russian soil.
“This is another frankly provocative step in a series of deeply destabilising actions by the Americans and their allies in the North Atlantic Alliance in the strategic sphere,” Maria Zakharova, the Russian foreign ministry’s spokeswoman, said.
“This leads to undermining strategic stability, increasing strategic risks and, as a result, to an increase in the overall level of nuclear danger.”
The US missile facility, which was commissioned in 2009, was opened on Nov 13 as part of a broader air-defence programme by the Nato military alliance in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Moscow has sought to ratchet up the prospect of a nuclear war after Joe Biden authorised the use of Western missiles in strikes inside Russia by Ukrainian forces.
Shortly after news of the decision was leaked to The New York Times, Russia claimed that US-supplied Atacms rockets were used to hit a target inside Russia.
The accusations were followed up by claims that UK-provided Storm Shadow cruise missiles were launched at a target inside Kursk, a Russian region partially occupied by Ukraine.
Vladimir Putin then signed into law a decree which broadened the use of its nuclear arsenal.
The new doctrine states an attack from a non-nuclear state, if backed by a nuclear power, will be treated as a joint assault on Russia.
Experts say the threat is largely a desperate attempt by Moscow to prevent strikes on its territory using Western weapons.
Poland has claimed the base mentioned by Russia poses no threat.
A spokesman for Warsaw’s foreign ministry said no nuclear missiles were based there and its functions were purely defensive.
It is part of Aegis Ashore, a Nato programme to defend the alliance against short and mid-range ballistic missiles.
“Given the nature and level of threats posed by such Western military facilities, the missile defence 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,” Ms Zakharova said.
“It is a base that serves the purpose of defence, not attack,” Pawel Wronski, Poland’s foreign ministry spokesman, hit back.
“Such threats will certainly serve as an argument to strengthen Poland’s and Nato’s air defences, and should also be considered by the United States.”
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