Russia threatens to move missiles to near Poland

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev threatened on Wednesday to station new missiles near Poland's border in response to U.S. plans to deploy an anti-missile system and proposed extending the presidential term to six years.

In his first annual address to the nation, he defended Russia's war with Georgia, appealed to nationalism and attacked Washington's "selfish" foreign policy and "economic blunders" which he said caused the global financial crisis.

"To neutralise -- if necessary -- the (U.S.) anti-missile system, an Iskander missile system will be deployed in the Kaliningrad region," Medvedev said, referring to a Russian enclave that borders Poland, a member of the European Union.

"Naturally, we are also considering using for the same purpose the resources of Russia's navy."

Russia would electronically jam the U.S. system, parts of which are due to be deployed in Poland and the Czech Republic, and Moscow would scrap plans to stand down three Cold War-era nuclear missile regiments, the president said.

Medvedev's 85-minute address also included surprise proposals to extend the presidential term from four to six years, lengthen legislators' terms by a year and make it easier for small parties to win parliamentary representation.

These groups, which are among the most critical of the government, were eliminated from the legislature under the eight-year rule of Medvedev's predecessor, Vladimir Putin.

The president did not say whether the extended term would apply to himself or to the next president to be elected in 2012.

Political analysts have speculated that Putin, who stepped down earlier this year as president after serving the maximum two terms allowed by the constitution, may return in 2012. He is now prime minister and remains powerful.