Russia Criticizes U.S. Patriot Missile Deployment Near Kaliningrad

One of the U.S.'s Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) interceptor missile launcher (file photo)

Russia's Foreign Ministry has criticized the U.S. deployment of Patriot missiles in Poland, saying the move did not help security or trust.

However, there was no immediate hint of any retaliatory Russian move in the Kremlin statement.

A Patriot surface-to air missile battery -- a defensive system designed to destroy incoming missiles fired by hostile forces -- was deployed on May 24 in northern Poland near the border with Russia's enclave of Kaliningrad.

U.S. officials say the battery at Poland's Morag military base is meant for the training of Polish forces.

They say it will be rotated in and out of Poland during the next two years along with teams of about 150 U.S. troops.

compiled from agency reports