Russia Warns Baltic States That Deployment Of NATO's Anti-Missile Shield Will Make Them 'Targets'

Polish and US soldiers look at a Patriot missile defence battery during join exercises at the military grouds in Sochaczew, near Warsaw, March 21, 2015.Franciszek Mazur/Agencja Gazeta/Reuters

IBTimes: Russia Warns Baltic States NATO's Anti-Missile Shield Will Make Them 'Targets'

The Baltic states of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia could make themselves “targets” if they host elements of NATO’s planned anti-missile shield, a top Russian official warned Tuesday. The threat came hours after the United States announced plans to station heavy weaponry in Eastern European nations near Russia’s border, including the Baltic states.

“[The Baltic states] better think about other things – the deployment of missile defense system elements that are targeting our strategic nuclear forces, that is where their problem is, as they become our targets,” Yevgeny Lukyanov, deputy secretary to the Russian Security Council, told the Russian news service Tass.

“If they like to be targets because of American weapons systems, it is their choice. The logic of the conflict is that nobody wins from a conflict, but somebody finds itself in between [the opposing parties],” he added.

Update #1: Russia threatens to target Baltic States if they deploy missile defense -- Washington Times
Update #2: US missile deployment makes Poland and Romania 'targets', says Russia -- Newsweek
Update #3: Security official warns about dangers of anti-missile shield for Baltic states -- ITAR-TASS

WNU Editor: There is no need for Russia to warn the Baltic states on what are the consequences if they deploy these missile systems .... I am sure that they figured it out a long time ago.