Patriot for Denmark? - About time we get some batteries in Norway as well

Denmark slams Russian envoy's nuclear target warning

By Susannah Cullinane, CNN

Updated 1849 GMT (0249 HKT) March 23, 2015

U.S. troops at a launching station for Patriot air and missile defense in Poland March 21.

Story highlights

• Denmark slams Russia's envoy for warning against joining the NATO missile shield
• Ambassador Mikhail Vanin says he did not think the Danes fully understood the consequences
• Joining would make Danish warships "targets for Russian nuclear missiles," Vanin says

(CNN)Denmark has slammed as "unacceptable" comments by Russia's envoy to Denmark that joining NATO's missile defense shield would make Danish warships "targets for Russian nuclear missiles."

In August last year, Denmark said that at least one of its frigates would be equipped with a radar that would allow it to contribute to NATO's missile defense shield.

In an opinion article published in the Danish newspaper Jyllands Posten on Saturday, Russian Ambassador Mikhail Vanin said he did not think the Danes fully understood the consequences of joining the missile shield.

"If this happens, Danish warships become targets for Russian nuclear missiles," he wrote.

Denmark's Minister for Foreign Affairs Martin Lidegaard said Vanin's remarks were unacceptable.

"Russia knows full well that NATO's missile defense is defensive and not targeted at them (Russia)," Lidegaard said."However, I would not over-dramatize this. Right now we disagree with Russia on many important issues, but we also cooperate, for example, in the Arctic and it is important that the tone between us does not escalate. We certainly are not contributing to that."