COPENHAGEN — Russia's ambassador to Denmark has said Moscow could send nuclear missiles against ships from the NATO country if it joins the alliance's missile defense system.
Ambassador Mikhail Vanin's comments, published in a Danish newspaper Saturday, prompted an angry response from Danish Foreign Minister Martin Lidegaard.
Lidegaard said the comments were unacceptable and that Vanin had "crossed the line" by saying that "everyone who joins" the shield "in the future will be a target for Russian ballistic missiles."
There were no immediate plans for a meeting between Lidegaard and Vanin. The Russian Embassy couldn't be reached for a comment.
In August, Denmark agreed to contribute to NATO's shield with at least one frigate with advanced radar capacity. Russia strongly opposes the missile defense system, with bases planned in Romania and Poland.
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