"We consider that this transition to practical implementation of a defense program which is closed to Russia, particularly in the light of the U.S. decision to deploy a missile defense base in Eastern Europe, will lead to a worsening of the military-strategic situation," Sergei Ivanov said at an informal session of the Russia-NATO Council in southern Spain.
Russian analysts argued earlier in the week that Washington's consistent efforts to redeploy its missile defense system closer to Russia's borders suggest the U.S. seeks to revive the Cold War.
Washington has recently moved its largest sea-based missile defense radar in the Pacific from Hawaii to the Aleutian Islands, not far from Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula. It has also announced plans to install a radar system in the Czech Republic and a missile interceptor in Poland, which it says it needs to protect itself against a potential threat from Iran.
Ivanov described the U.S. missile shield as "a new virtual Berlin wall."
"The positive background of Russia-NATO cooperation should not serve as a cover for the formulation of anti-Russian plans," Ivanov said.
He said the capabilities of anti-ballistic missile defense systems are determined not by their belonging to this or that state, or by declared political goals, but by real technical opportunities, geography, and scale of deployment.
Moscow has always strongly resisted the deployment of a missile shield in its former backyard in Central Europe, describing the plans as a threat to national security.
At an annual news conference at the beginning of the month, President Vladimir Putin called Washington's justification of the missile shield unconvincing, and pledged to amend Russia's military strategy.
"All our responses will be asymmetric, but highly effective," the president said.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in an interview with German weekly Der Spiegel that Moscow will respond in an "intellectual" way to moves by the United States to position its anti-ballistic missile defense systems in locations that threaten Russia.
He said Russia does not intend to spend money on a senseless arms race.
Lavrov said Washington seems to have almost clinched agreements to deploy elements of its anti-missile defense system in Central Europe.
"As for the U.S. anti-ballistic missile defense, we see no objective reasons for placing elements of it in Europe, and do not consider threats from North Korea and Iran sufficient for such radical shifts in strategic stability," Lavrov said.
The foreign minister said the Russian side wants full transparency, and is discussing these issues with U.S. partners, including through the Russia-NATO Council, in order to get a clear explanation for these plans.
