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| US activates $800m missile shield base in Romania | US activates $800m missile shield base in Romania |
| (about 9 hours later) | |
| The US has activated a land-based missile defence station in Romania, which will form part of a larger and controversial European shield. | The US has activated a land-based missile defence station in Romania, which will form part of a larger and controversial European shield. |
| Senior US and Nato officials attended the ceremony in Deveselu, southern Romania. | Senior US and Nato officials attended the ceremony in Deveselu, southern Romania. |
| The US says the Aegis system is a shield to protect Nato countries from short and medium-range missiles, particularly from the Middle East. | The US says the Aegis system is a shield to protect Nato countries from short and medium-range missiles, particularly from the Middle East. |
| But Russia sees it as a security threat - a claim denied by Nato. | But Russia sees it as a security threat - a claim denied by Nato. |
| Relations between the West and Russia have deteriorated since Moscow's annexation of Ukraine's southern Crimea peninsula in 2014. | Relations between the West and Russia have deteriorated since Moscow's annexation of Ukraine's southern Crimea peninsula in 2014. |
| Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and other senior officials from the military alliance attended the opening ceremony at an old Romanian air base in Deveselu., 180km (110 miles) south-west of Bucharest. | Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and other senior officials from the military alliance attended the opening ceremony at an old Romanian air base in Deveselu., 180km (110 miles) south-west of Bucharest. |
| The site hosts radar and SM-3 missile interceptors, and will be integrated into Nato's missile shield when the bloc meets this summer. | |
| Both Nato and US officials have attempted to reassure Russia that the shield in Romania, and a similar one in Poland, does not undermine Russia's strategic nuclear deterrent. | Both Nato and US officials have attempted to reassure Russia that the shield in Romania, and a similar one in Poland, does not undermine Russia's strategic nuclear deterrent. |
| "The interceptors are too few and located too far south or too close to Russia to be able to intercept Russian intercontinental ballistic missiles," Mr Stoltenberg said. | "The interceptors are too few and located too far south or too close to Russia to be able to intercept Russian intercontinental ballistic missiles," Mr Stoltenberg said. |
| He said the interceptors were designed "instead to tackle the potential threat posed by short and medium- range attacks from outside the Euro-Atlantic area". | He said the interceptors were designed "instead to tackle the potential threat posed by short and medium- range attacks from outside the Euro-Atlantic area". |
| But Russia says installing such shields in countries on its doorstep is a threat to its security. | But Russia says installing such shields in countries on its doorstep is a threat to its security. |
| "Who will this system be against?" President Vladimir Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, questioned. "To begin with the explanation we were given was a potential rocket attack from Iran... Now we know the situation has changed dramatically." | "Who will this system be against?" President Vladimir Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, questioned. "To begin with the explanation we were given was a potential rocket attack from Iran... Now we know the situation has changed dramatically." |
| How does the missile shield work? | How does the missile shield work? |
| The defence system allows on-shore sites and warships to shoot down enemy ballistic missiles while they are still in space. | The defence system allows on-shore sites and warships to shoot down enemy ballistic missiles while they are still in space. |
| The interceptor missiles are fired to hit missiles before they re-enter the atmosphere, stopping them well before there is any danger of causing any damage. | The interceptor missiles are fired to hit missiles before they re-enter the atmosphere, stopping them well before there is any danger of causing any damage. |
| The US is believed to have spent $800m (£554m) on the site in Romania, where work began in 2013. | The US is believed to have spent $800m (£554m) on the site in Romania, where work began in 2013. |
| On Friday, another phase of the project will be launched in Poland with a groundbreaking ceremony at Redzikowo, near the Baltic Sea. Aegis missiles are to become operational there in 2018. | On Friday, another phase of the project will be launched in Poland with a groundbreaking ceremony at Redzikowo, near the Baltic Sea. Aegis missiles are to become operational there in 2018. |
| A new piece in Nato's missile defence jigsaw | A new piece in Nato's missile defence jigsaw |