Russia to respond if U.S. deploys radar base in Caucasus region

Russia has said it is capable of responding to the possible deployment of a new U.S. radar base in the Caucasus region. The Head of the U.S. Anti-missile Defence Agency has confirmed the Pentagon is considering the plan.

While there are still heated discussions in Poland and the Chezh Republic over the U.S. idea to build parts of its missile defence system in these countries, the Pentagon seems to be continuing making similar plans.

Ukraine and the Caucasus region were named among possible locations for new U.S. anti-missile facilities.

The Pentagon’s ideas immediately came under attack from Russia’s top military commanders.

“Unfortunately they are talking about building facilities in countries like Ukraine and other countries that are Russia’s close neighbours. We have everything we need to give an adequate response to these plans. If they have so much money, it’s their business how they spend it. The Russian S-400 systems provide sufficient protection, including air and space control,” said Vladimir Mikhaylov, Russian Air Force Commander. 

The Caucasus region is not only Turkey, which is a close ally of the U.S. and a NATO member. There are also CIS countries that once were republics of the Soviet Union. So far Georgia and Azerbaijan were named as candidates by the media.

Neighbouring Armenia has received less attention, partly because it has a strategic partnership with Russia and it’s unlikely that it will agree to host U.S. facilities. 

Although Georgia and Azerbaijan are denying that they've received any offers from the U.S.

Pyotr Deynekin, a Russia's former Air Force Commander, says the importance of the new U.S. systems should not be overestimated. 

“We have to remain calm and to work on creating systems that can sustain such threats. We should not be afraid of these radars. I think we have enough skilled personnel, people who could think of ways to neutralize these radars with one click of a mouse,” he noted.