Russia to strengthen Baltic fleet over U.S. missile plans: report

MOSCOW, Jan. 21 (Xinhua) -- The Russian navy will reinforce its Baltic Fleet over U.S. plans to place Patriot missiles in Poland, the RIA Novosti news agency reported on Thursday, citing a senior navy official.

"Primarily, surface, underwater and air components of the Baltic Fleet will be enhanced," the unidentified source was quoted as saying.

The official said new corvette class warships with long-range, high-precision cruise missiles aboard would join the fleet.

The remarks came a day after Poland announced that a U.S. Patriot missile battery would be deployed in Morag, a small town in northeastern Poland about 100 km from the Russian border.

Polish Defense Minister Bogdan Klich said on Wednesday the decision was neither political nor strategic, explaining that good infrastructure was the only reason to use a base near Russia's Baltic enclave of Kaliningrad instead of one outside Warsaw.