MOSCOW, July 19 A Russian Defense Ministry source warned countries considering hosting an anti-missile defense system that they could be putting themselves at risk.
RIA Novosti Thursday quoted the unnamed official as saying that Russia is concerned about an anti-missile system being erected around the country.
"Europe, Alaska, naval components and space-based tracking, control-and-communication systems -- all of these are elements of the U.S. missile defense system," he said.
"What is of primary importance is the sheer fact that a global missile defense infrastructure is being created around Russia," he said.
Rather than provide security to the host country it could put them at risk, including an environmental risk.
"Should a U.S. anti-missile intercept a ballistic or other type of missile in Europe, substantial tracts of land would be affected in Russia, Ukraine, Poland, the Czech Republic, Germany and a number of other states. Radioactive elements will be dispersed across these countries' territories," he said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin offered the United States facilities in Azerbaijan for missile tracking, a suggestion President George Bush has rejected.
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