ASHULUK (Astrakhan Region), April 10 (RIA Novosti) - U.S. plans to deploy a missile shield in Central Europe were caused by Russia's increasing global power, the chief of the Russian General Staff said Thursday.

Russia has "straightened in the good sense of the word its economic, social and military shoulders," Army General Yury Baluyevsky said. "And someone does not like it, that's why the strategic stability we established 15 years ago in Europe has suddenly been destroyed."

The U.S. is planning to modify its X-band radar on the Kwajalein Atoll in the Pacific and relocate it to the Czech Republic as part of its proposed European missile shield, which will also include deploying 10 interceptor missiles in Poland.

The missile defense plans have been fiercely opposed by Russia, which views them as a direct threat to its national security, and have contributed to bringing Washington-Moscow relations to their lowest point since the Cold War.