Russia has launched a state-of-the art antimissile radar with a detection range of 6,000 kilometres in its bid to counter Western plans for a US missile shield in Europe. Sticking to his last week's threat to take steps to counter US-led NATO missile defence system in Europe posing mortal danger for Moscow's nuclear deterrence, President Dmitry Medvedev said, "This is the first signal of Russia's readiness for an adequate response to the threats posed by European AMD to our strategic nuclear forces." He was addressing the top military commanders after inaugurating the anti-missile radar in Russia's Baltic Exclave of Kaliningrad. The Voronezh-DM radar station has been working in test mode for the whole of 2011. There were no technical failures over this period. Earlier last week, President Medvedev has warned of the launch if the US and NATo fail to prove that the US-led NATO missile system in Europe is not a danger to Russia.

VOV5/dailybhaska.com