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Russia denies bomber report
25/07/2008 09:34 - (SA)
Moscow - Russia said on Thursday it had
no plans to open any military bases abroad and denied a
newspaper report it may deploy nuclear-capable bombers in Cuba
in retaliation to a planned US missile shield in Europe.
Russia's Izvestia newspaper this week quoted a "highly
placed" source as saying Moscow could decide to land Tu-160
supersonic and Tu-95 turbo-prop strategic bombers capable of
carrying nuclear arms in Cuba.
The article said Moscow was considering the step in response
to a planned US missile defence shield in Europe that Russia
opposes, seeing it as a threat to its security.
"Russia, guided by its peaceful policy, is not creating
military bases on the borders of other states," Russian news
agencies quoted Ilshat Baichurin, acting head of the Russian
Defence Ministry's information department, as saying.
A top US general said Russia would be crossing "a red
line" it were to use Cuba, just 150km off the US
coast, as a refuelling base for its bombers.
News agency reports quoted Russia's Defence Ministry as
saying "this misinformation and yet another canard" must have
come from "certain circles in the states which themselves are
unfolding their military bases and sites around Russia".
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