'No defense' against multiple Russian missiles: US general: The United States and its allies would have "no defense" against large numbers of ground-launched cruise missiles of the type recently deployed by Russia, a top US general warned Tuesday.
Washington has repeatedly accused Moscow of deploying a land-based cruise missile system in contravention of a 1987 US-Russia arms control deal, known as the Intermediate Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF).
General John Hyten, who heads the US military's Strategic Command, told lawmakers that a single ground-launched cruise missile is not a significant threat, but the calculus changes if multiple missiles are launched.
"We have no defense for it, especially in defense of our European allies," Hyten told the Senate Armed Services Committee.
"That system can range and threaten most of the continent of Europe depending on where it is deployed. ... It is a concern and we're going to have to figure out how to deal with it as a nation."
US officials have not described the missile deployed by the Russians, but experts say it could be easily tipped with a nuclear warhead.
The New York Times has reported that the Russian missile deployment is in the region of Volgograd and at a second non-identified site.
