Russia to aim missiles at US shields

In his first state-of-the nation address, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said Wednesday that short-range Iskander missiles will be based in Kaliningrad to 'neutralize' Washington's planned missile defense shield in neighboring Poland and the Czech Republic.

Medvedev also said that the US has sped up the deployment of the controversial missile defense shield after the Caucasus conflict in August, during which Moscow supported the independence-seeking region of South Ossetia against Georgian troops.

Russia strongly opposes the deployment of the US missile interceptors in Poland and a radar tracking site in the Czech Republic, considering it a great threat to its security.

Medvedev also blamed Washington for the global financial crisis and for stoking the recent Georgia-Russia conflict, saying a "conceited" US foreign policy resulted in the war in Caucasus region.

"The conflict in the Caucasus was used as a pretext for sending NATO warships to the Black Sea and also for the foisting on Europe of America's anti-missile systems," Medvedev told lawmakers.

Medvedev's remarks came just hours after Democrat Barack Obama claimed a landmark victory in the US presidential election. Russian president congratulated Obama for his victory and called for "constructive dialogue" between Moscow and Washington.