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Missiles for Sale As Scarecrows

CHEREPOVETS, Central Russia -- Missiles made to frighten the Soviet Union's enemies could wind up scaring off crows in Russian gardens, Itar-Tass reported Tuesday.


The command of an army anti-aircraft unit near Cherepovets, 375 kilometers north of Moscow, put an ad in the local newspaper offering decommissioned missiles for sale, the news agency reported.


The ad suggested the missiles -- their fuel and ammunition replaced by sand -- could be used as scarecrows in gardens.


The newspaper, Rech, said the command was unable to guard the old weapons and they were in danger of being stolen.


Unit commander Sergei Kocheshkov said his soldiers had had to fire on trespassers at the base several times, Itar-Tass reported. He also said eight people had been detained, and four others handed over to security forces for allegedly filming secret parts of the base.


The price for the sand-filled missiles? A mere 800,000 rubles -- about $180.

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