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Since its withdrawal from an agreement with Russia for Moscow to rent radar sites in the Ukraine, the latter country is considering integrating its early warning missile system with Europe. Alternatively, it may propose that other countries use its missile defense system.

According to Ria Novosti, Ukraine’s foreign ministry said the country’s “withdrawal from the agreement offers the possibility of developing active cooperation with European countries with a view to integrating units of early missile warning and space systems with similar systems.”

Last week, the U.S. and Poland entered into an agreement to install missile inceptors in the Eastern European country. The situation in the region is, to put it mildly, tense.

Iran Successfully Launches Rocket

In other missile defense news, Iran has test-launched a rocket called Safir, which has satellite-carrying capability. The White House reportedly finds the launch “troubling.” Iran may use the technology to develop ballistic missiles.

(Sources: Ria Novosti, AFP, AP and Reuters)

Update (2:04 p.m. ET): Despite Iran’s claim that a satellite-carrying rocket test-launched successfully, the launch failed, according to Reuters.

According to the AFP, Russia might be planning to base strategic bombers and Iskander missiles in the border country of Belarus in response to U.S. missile defense plans in Eastern Europe.
 
As we’ve mentioned before on the 33 Minutes blog, there is friction between Russia and the U.S. over our country’s intentions to install missile defense systems in Poland and the Czech Republic. Alexander Surikov, Moscow ambassador, reportedly said, “When Poland signs the agreement with the American side about hosting elements of the missile defense system, then we can discuss some additional aspects of military-technical cooperation with Belarus.”
 
Russia intends to “counter the deployment” of a U.S. missile defense system in Poland. We wonder how many Americans know or even care about this Cold War, Part II, scenario?