Confusion Over Missile Plan

Sep. 22, 2009

ZURICH — Nikolai Makarov, the chief of the General Staff, said Monday that plans to deploy missiles in Kaliningrad had not been shelved, despite a decision by the United States to rethink plans for missile defense in Europe.

Makarov told reporters on a plane from Moscow to Zurich that it was up to President Dmitry Medvedev to decide whether to scrap the plan.

On Saturday, Deputy Defense Minister Vladimir Popovkin said the military would withdraw a threat to deploy the missiles in Kaliningrad.

It was not immediately clear why Makarov had contradicted Popovkin publicly on the sensitive issue, but some sources suggested he might have wanted to emphasize that such an important decision could only be made by the president and should not be announced by a deputy minister.

(Reuters)

… we have a small favor to ask.

As you may have heard, The Moscow Times, an independent news source for over 30 years, has been unjustly branded as a "foreign agent" by the Russian government. This blatant attempt to silence our voice is a direct assault on the integrity of journalism and the values we hold dear.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. Our commitment to providing accurate and unbiased reporting on Russia remains unshaken. But we need your help to continue our critical mission.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just 2. It's quick to set up, and you can be confident that you're making a significant impact every month by supporting open, independent journalism. Thank you.

Continue