The Russian Foreign Ministry said the newly opened US ballistic missile base in Poland was a “frankly provocative step” that would raise the overall level of nuclear danger and that it had long been a “priority target” for Moscow.

“This is clearly a provocative step in a series of deeply destabilizing actions carried out by the Americans and their allies in the North Atlantic Alliance in the strategic field,” spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in comments quoted by Reuters news agency.

“This leads to a weakening of strategic stability, an increase in strategic risks and, as a result, an increase in the overall level of nuclear danger,” he said.

Zakharova said the base “has long been added to the list of priority targets for potential destruction and, if necessary, can be executed with a wide range of advanced weapons.”

Poland responded to Russia’s statements by saying that there were no nuclear weapons at the base and that it was a defensive position.

According to Polish Foreign Ministry spokesman Pawel Wronski, “Such threats will certainly serve as an argument for strengthening the air defense of Poland and NATO and should also be taken into account by the United States.”

The air defense base in the town of Redzikowo, 100 miles (161 km) from the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad, is the first permanent US military base in the country and was built after a lengthy planning process in Washington.

This missile forms part of the wider NATO missile shield called “Aegis Ashore”, which includes facilities in Spain, Türkiye and Romania.