A suggestion by NATO's secretary general that Russia should avoid improving its nuclear weapons arsenal drew an sharp response from the Kremlin on Thursday, with a senior official declaring Moscow would build whatever missiles it liked, DPA reported.
Dmitry Rogozin, the senior Russian government representative to NATO headquarters, in remarks to Interfax rejected recent suggestions by NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen that the Kremlin should not develop a new intercontinental ballistic missiles.
"We will develop our defences in whatever way we see necessary, Rogozin said. "Russia always has and will continue maintain its national security, and that includes with the assistance of new weapons."
The Kremlin official was responding to comments by Rasmussen reported by the British Telegraph newspaper in which he said Russia would waste its own resources and increase international tensions were it to develop a new generation of nuclear-capable missiles.
"What does not make sense is for Russia to spend billions of roubles on a new offensive system to target the West. This type of rhetoric is unnecessary. This type of thinking is out of date. This type of investment is a waste of money," Rasmussen was quoted as saying.
Rogozin likewise dismissed Rasmussen's claim NATO does not threaten Russia, noting NATO nations Poland, the Czech Republic and the US are planning to set up an missile intercept system which - Rogozin said - directly threaten Russian missile forces.
NATO officials have said the system is not aimed at Russia but at a missile which might possibly be developed by a rouge Middle Eastern power.
If NATO wants to reduce tension with Russia, it should cancel the missile defence project, Rogozin said.
"We have always criticised these plans as deeply anti-Russian," he said.