Moscow may target weapons at Europe if the US builds planned missile defence facilities in the region, Russian President Vladimir Putin has said.
Russia has not pointed missiles towards Europe since the end of the Cold War.
Last week, Russia said it had tested a ballistic missile to maintain "strategic balance" in the world.
The US wants to expand its missile defences into Eastern Europe. It says the system is not aimed at Russia but Moscow says its security is threatened.
Mr Putin made the comments in an interview published in Italian newspaper Corriere Della Sera ahead of the G8 meeting which starts in Germany on Wednesday.
He repeated warnings that the US defence shield could lead to a new arms race but said it would the fault of the Americans if this happened.
He said the US had "altered the strategic balance" by unilaterally pulling out of the anti-ballistic missile (ABM) treaty in 2002.
"If the American nuclear potential grows in European territory, we have to give ourselves new targets in Europe," Mr Putin said.
"It is up to our military to define these targets, in addition to defining the choice between ballistic and cruise missiles."
US President George W Bush is due to meet Mr Putin at the three-day G8 summit in the German resort of Heiligendamm.
Washington wants to deploy interceptor rockets in Poland and a radar base in the Czech Republic to counter what it describes as a potential threat from "rogue states" such as Iran and North Korea.
Last Tuesday, Russia tested an RS-24 missile that successfully struck its target 5,500km (3,400 miles) away.
It was designed to evade missile defence systems, Russia's defence ministry said.
Russia's threat to aim weapons at Europe if the US sets up a missile defence shield there was "unhelpful and unwelcome", Nato has said.
The US says it wants missile defence in eastern Europe to counter threats from states like Iran and North Korea.
On Sunday, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Iran was not a threat to the US, hinting that Russia was the target.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy has said he will have "frank" talks with Mr Putin this week about the threat.
'Stormy summit'
Washington wants to deploy interceptor rockets in Poland and a radar base in the Czech Republic to counter what it describes as a potential threat from "rogue states" such as Iran and North Korea.
It insists the shield is not aimed at Russia.
"As far as I am aware, the only country speculating about targeting Europe with missiles is the Russian Federation," Nato spokesman James Appathurai said. "These kind of comments are unhelpful and unwelcome."
The new French president will hold his first talks with Mr Putin at this week's G8 summit in the German resort of Heiligendamm.
"I will listen attentively to him. He called for a frank dialogue. From my side, it will be frank," Mr Sarkozy said.
British Prime Minister Tony Blair said that the US plans were not aimed at Russia. He said Britain wanted a strong relationship with Russia, but that Russia had to act constructively.
"We want to have a constructive dialogue with Russia," Mr Blair's official spokesman said.
"We want to be able to talk about issues such as Kosovo, Iran and other global issues in a constructive way. Equally Europe as a whole does have concerns and will not be shy in expressing those concerns."
US President George W Bush is also due to meet Mr Putin at the three-day summit, which starts on Wednesday.
The BBC's Rupert Wingfield-Hayes in Moscow says that if Mr Putin's words are anything to go by, the summit is likely to be stormy.
'Joke of the year'
Mr Putin issued his warning in an interview with foreign reporters ahead of the G8 meeting.
"If the American nuclear potential grows in European territory, we will have to have new targets in Europe," Mr Putin said.
He said neither Iran nor North Korea had the weapons that the US was seeking to shoot down.
"We are being told the anti-missile defence system is targeted against something that does not exist. Doesn't it seem funny to you?" he asked.
Top Iranian security official Ali Larijani described the planned deployment as the "joke of the year", adding that Iran's missiles were not capable of reaching Europe.
Mr Putin said Washington had "altered the strategic balance" by unilaterally pulling out of the anti-ballistic missile (ABM) treaty in 2002.
He hoped US officials would change their minds about the missile plan, and said that if an arms race resulted it would not be Russia's fault.
Last week, Moscow announced it had tested a ballistic missile to maintain "strategic balance" in the world.
"there's only one way to win a war: shout, shout, and shout again!" - The Duke of Wellington ((Blackadder - Stephen Fry))
For me Putin has always been a worry he is to old school former KGB and I think longs for the "good old days" the fact is Russia seems to be reverting back the litvineko murder, certain journalists that have died when they were writing unfavourable reports on the government or Checnya, the oil tycoon that went to jail in the biggest sham trial ever, lot os Russians now live in exile in the west, Russian bullying of former soviet sates UKraine being the most notable and now this.
The fact is Russia is losing face no country is really concerned about it and China now has the mystery Russia once had and is now overshadowing any chance Russia had of being the second superpower.
06-03-2007 10:20 PM
