An undisclosed number of Russian Iskander short-range ballistic missiles could be deployed close to the Polish border if the country follows through with plans to site US Patriot missiles on Polish soil, an unidentified Russian military source was quoted saying on Friday.

Deputy Defense Minister Stanislaw Komorowski earlier told the Financial Times that the Patriot missiles and a 100 American support troops would be based in Poland by the end of the year, irrespective of whether President Barack Obama decided to forge ahead with missile-defense plans in Eastern Europe.

But the unnamed Russian general staff figure claimed the Patriot system would be deployed in order to cover work on the bigger missile-shield project.

"Patriot systems, if they are deployed, will cover future work on installing a unit of the US strategic air defense system with interceptor missiles in Poland," Interfax news agency quoted the military figure as saying.

He said Russia had proposed as a counter-measure "to deploy the tactical Iskander missile in the Kaliningrad region," which borders NATO member Poland, in response to deployment of the US missile shield, Interfax reported.

"One cannot exclude that the issue of the Iskander will arise again," the Russian source said.

Source: Thomson Reuters