MOSCOW. Nov 19 (Interfax-AVN) - Russia is upgrading its nuclear missile systems in the interests of its own security, Viktor Ozerov, chairman of the Federation Council defense and security committee, said on Friday.
"New systems will replace old missiles that are being written off from the Russian nuclear forces and disposed of under international control," Ozerov told Interfax-Military News Agency.
Development of new missile systems in Russia "goes fully in line with international law," he stressed.
Ozerov was asked to comment on German opposition leaders' statements, who suggested that Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder do his best to make Russia abandon development of new nuclear missile systems.
Volker Ruhe, Germany's former defense minister and current chairman of the parliament's foreign affairs committee, expressed his concern over Moscow's nuclear plans. "There is a strategic balance at the moment, and there are no threats to Russia exist, except terrorism which cannot be fought by nuclear weapons," he said.
Ruprecht Polenz, the Christian Democratic Union's foreign policy expert, told the Bild newspaper that it is time for Schroeder "to use his influence on Vladimir Putin, of which he is so proud, and make the latter abandon this intention."
Putin announced in Moscow on Wednesday that Russia will soon develop the latest nuclear missile systems that no other nuclear states have or will have in the next few years.
The Bild notes that Germany's governing circles express concern over new Russian weapons, too. Michael Muller, deputy head of the parliament's social democratic faction, believes that Russia's rearmament intentions are "very unpleasant."