NATO slams Russia's deployment of Iskander system in KaliningradOctober 10, 2016 - 13:20 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - NATO on Sunday, October 9 harshly criticized Russia for placing a nuclear capable Iskander missile system in its exclave of Kaliningrad, which lies sandwiched between NATO members Poland and Lithuania, Europe Online said. "The deployment of missiles close to alliance borders that can carry nuclear warheads does not help to lower tensions," a NATO spokesman told dpa. "We need more - not less - transparency and predictability on military activities to avoid incidents and the risk of misunderstandings," he said. Russia admitted on Saturday that for training purposes it had placed Iskander missiles armed with nuclear warheads in Kaliningrad, which was known in Prussian times as Koenigsberg. Lithuanian Foreign Minister Linas Linkevicius said that he suspected that the Russian move is a reaction to the beefing up of NATO defence capabilities in the region. The alliance decided in the summer to send large numbers of troops to the Baltic States and Poland, which feel increasingly under threat of attack by Russia since it annexed Ukraine‘s Crimean peninsula in 2014. Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | Pashinyan’s spokesperson denies intention to visit Baku for COP29 Pashinyan’s agenda doesn’t include a trip to Baku for the COP29 conference, his press secretary Nazeli Baghdasaryan has said. Lithuania sending €100,000 to help Armenia fight floods consequences Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan took to social media to thank his Lithuanian counterpart for the contribution. Armenia: Rescue workers restore pedestrian bridge for flood-hit community Rescue workers on Wednesday, June 5 restored a pedestrian bridge in the town of Alaverdi in Armenia’s north. Turkey condemns Uruguay’s recognition of Armenian Genocide Turkey has condemned a newly passed law in Uruguay that recognizes the Armenian Genocide, TRT reports. |