Russia is “closely following” THAAD system deployment to Romania, Russian official says

Russia is “closely following” the temporarily deployment of a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system to the Deveselu base in Romania, Russian deputy foreign minister Alexander Grushko said, according to the Russian news agency TAAS.

The U.S. has decided to temporarily deploy a THAAD system to Romania this summer, when the Aegis Ashore Ballistic Missile Defense site will undergo a long-planned update. NATO said in a press release that the system would remain operational until the Aegis Ashore Romania site is back online.

However, the Russian deputy foreign minister sees things differently. Referring to the THAAD system deployment to Romania, he told reporters: "We are closely following this. There is a Russian saying ‘Nothing is more permanent than a temporary fix’.”

He also said that Russia has two questions related to this move of the U.S.: what reasons are for the THAAD deployment as it is and what the modernization of facilities in Romania involves.

“A question arises: what types of work will actually be carried out at facilities in Romania," the Russian official said, quoted by TASS. "Since it is well known that the United States is currently enhancing missile interception technology and many no longer keep it secret that the US antimissile system, including its European segment integrated into NATO, needs to be capable of intercepting missile systems operated by the Russian Federation."

NATO said that the update scheduled to take place this summer would not provide any offensive capability to the Aegis Ashore missile defense system in Romania.

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