Thu, April 19, 2012
MOSCOW, April 19 (Xinhua) -- Russia has successfully tested an early warning anti-missile radar station still being built in southern Siberia, defense officials said Thursday.
"Preliminary tests of the (station's) already assembled equipment have shown very good results," First Deputy Defense Minister Alexander Sukhorukov told reporters.
However, Sukhorukov did not reveal details about the tests, only confirming that the Voronezh-class radar in Irkutsk region will monitor possible missiles strikes from the southeast.
Taking note of India's successful test of a nuclear-capable Agni-V intercontinental ballistic missile earlier Thursday, Sukhorukov said the radar in Irkutsk will be able to detect those launches.
Russia has deployed similar early warning systems in the western Leningrad region, southern Krasnodar territory and the westernmost Russian exclave of Kaliningrad in line with President Dmitry Medvedev's order.
Medvedev warned last November that Russia might station missile defense systems in western and southern sections of the country if there were any additional U.S. missile deployments in Europe.
