Russia, NATO to stage joint anti-missile drills

MOSCOW - Russia and NATO will stage joint anti-missile exercises despite their ongoing dispute over the European anti-missile defense system.

Russian Deputy Defense Minister Anatoly Antonov at a press conference Thursday the exercises were likely to take place in Germany, possibly in March, the exact date had yet to be set.

Russia and NATO agreed on the drills during the Lisbon summit in November 2010, he said.

Antonov, however, expressed regret NATO had tried to use the exercises to paper over the dispute over the US-led European anti-missile issues.

"There is no progress (in the talks). The situation has not been changed. Our US and NATO colleagues are unable to understand Russia's concerns," he said.

Moscow has long opposed the deployment of US-led NATO missile defense facilities near its borders and wants legally binding guarantees from the United States and NATO the missile shield is not targeting Russia.