Poland bolsters defences with operational U.S. missile shield
Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki announced on Monday that the U.S. missile defence base in Redzikowo, Poland, will become operational on December 15th.
“The Americans have informed us that the Redzikowo anti-missile shield, located 250 kilometres from the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad, will become operational on December 15th,” Morawiecki declared in a speech to the Polish parliament in Warsaw.
Originally conceived as part of former U.S. President Barack Obama's 2009 initiative to shield Western nations from ballistic missiles launched by countries such as Iran, the Redzikowo base has been viewed with suspicion by Moscow from the outset. Russia considers the base, along with other military installations in the region, to be a threat to its security.
Construction on the base began in 2016.
A staunch NATO member and close U.S. ally, Poland has recently made significant investments in U.S. military equipment, including Patriot air defence systems, F-35 fighter jets, HIMARS missile launchers, and Abrams tanks. Over 10,000 U.S. troops are currently stationed on Polish soil.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
