MOSCOW, April 24. /TASS/. The United States is deploying missile defense systems near Russia’s borders with the goal of obtaining the potential to deliver a surprise nuclear strike on Russia, First Deputy Chief of the Russian General Staff’s Main Operations Department Lt. Gen.Viktor Poznikhir said on Wednesday.

"The deployment of missile defense systems near our borders creates a powerful strike potential for the US enabling it to deliver a surprise [the attacked party won’t be able to strike in response] missile and nuclear strike on Russia," the general told the Moscow Conference on International Security.

By developing the global missile defense system Washington also seeks to gain the potential to deliver such a strike without a response against any undesirable country, he noted.

In his report, the general explained that the US had developed a concept of pre-launch interception and planned to destroy intercontinental ballistic missiles of Russia, China and other countries while they are still in launchers. Those missiles, which will be able to blast off, are to be eliminated by missile defense systems.

The general warned the states, which now host or will host elements of the US missile shield, that these facilities will become priority targets for destruction. He also noted that using missile defense systems against missiles with nuclear warheads is linked to threats of a long radioactive contamination of the territory. "Therefore, the countries taking part in implementing the Pentagon’s anti-missile plans may suffer," he explained.

Measures against the US global missile shield

Russia has taken adequate measures against the US global missile shield by creating Sarmat and Avangard weapons with the increased capabilities of breaching this system, according to Poznikhir.

As defensive and offensive armaments are being deployed near the Russian borders on a large scale, Russia has to take "adequate counter-measures," the general stressed.

These measures were outlined in the addresses by Russian President Vladimir Putin to the Federal Assembly, he said.