Moscow Threatens Planned US Anti-Missile Sites in Europe

The commander of Russia's strategic missile force says Russia is capable of targeting U.S. missile defense sites if they are built in the Czech Republic and Poland.

General Nikolai Solovtsov warned Monday that Russia has the ability to resume building intermediate and short-range missiles if the Kremlin drops out of an arms treaty with the United States.

A NATO spokesman Monday described the general's comments as "extreme language" that is uncalled for and out of date.

The Polish and Czech prime ministers, Jaroslaw Kaczynski and Mirek Topolanek, said Monday they would likely accept Washington's proposal to build U.S. missile defense sites.

Washington says the sites would defend against missile launches from Iran or North Korea.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has called the presence of a missile defense system so close to Russia's border a threat to its security.