Patriot missiles will be sited close the Russian border Courtesy of NATO

In a move which could complicate nuclear disarmament negotiations between the Kremlin and Washington, the US Defense Ministry has chosen a site close to the Russian border for its Polish deployment of Patriot missiles.

The US troops charged with maintaining the missile battery will be garrisoned in the Polish town of Morąg, less than 100 km from the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad. They are scheduled to arrive in March.

“Morąg is a good location for the US Patriot missiles,” Polish Defense Minister Bogdan Klich said at a press conference. “The decision has no political or strategic significance whatsoever. The site was chosen because its infrastructure is favorable for the project.”

The Patriot missiles were originally promised under the missile-defense deal signed between Poland and the Bush administration. After President Obama scrapped the plan, the Polish government fought to hold the US to its promise on the Patriot battery.

Following the announcement, reports emerged that the Russian navy was strengthening its Baltic fleet. However, an unidentified Russian Defense Ministry official told Reuters the reports “do not correspond with reality.”

As WBJ went to press, the Kremlin was still demanding an explanation for the missile site. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that he did not possess the “full information” about the deployment.

Representatives of the White House and Kremlin are scheduled to meet in early February to resume negotiations on a replacement for the 1991 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty.