Medvedev Blasts US 'Fairy Tales' About Defense Shield

US-Russian relations took another turn for the worse today with Moscow lashing out at America's new missile-defense deal with Poland. Dmitry Medvedev said the system will be aimed at Russia and denounced as "fairy tales" the US contention that it will deter strikes from rogue nations such as Iran, Reuters reports. Condoleezza Rice refuted the Russian president's allegations.

"The moment has been chosen well and therefore any fairy tales about deterring other states, fairy tales that with the help of this system, we will deter some sort of rogue states no longer work," Medvedev said. Russia has threatened to use “military means” to respond to a US missile shield close to its borders, although it has not gotten more specific. (More Dmitry Medvedev stories.)