HELSINKI (AP) — Lithuania’s president says Russia has deployed additional nuclear-capable missiles in its Baltic Sea exclave of Kaliningrad on a permanent basis, calling it a threat to Europe.
Dalia Grybauskaite told reporters Monday after visiting NATO troops in the town of Rukla that “Iskander missiles are being stationed in Kaliningrad for permanent presence as we speak.” She called it a threat not only to Lithuania but to “half of all European countries.”
The head of Russian parliament’s defense committee, Vladimir Shamanov, confirmed the missiles’ deployment in remarks carried by Russian news agencies. He added that the move comes as a response to NATO’s buildup near Russian borders.
The high-precision Iskander missiles have a range of up to 500 kilometers (310 miles). They were temporarily deployed to Kaliningrad for maneuvers in the past.