Test number one, right on schedule

The BBC has the story of Russia's announcement that they're going to deploy their own missiles in Central Europe:

The US has described as "disappointing" Russia's plans to deploy new missiles in the Baltic region to counter a US defence shield in central Europe. The State Department stressed the planned shield in the Czech Republic and Poland was "not aimed at Russia", but NATO voiced "serious concerns" about Moscow's intentions.
President Dmitry Medvedev said putting short-range Iskander missiles near NATO members Poland and Lithuania would "neutralise" the US missile shield. In his state-of-the nation address on Wednesday, Mr. Medvedev said Russia had been forced to respond to the US plans by deploying missiles in its Kaliningrad enclave, between Poland and Lithuania.
The US has repeatedly stated that its shield is a defence against missiles from 'rogue' nations, but Russia sees it as a direct threat, correspondents say. "The steps that the Russian government announced... are disappointing," State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said.

Rico says he guesses that makes Russia a rogue nation (no surprise there). But, in a related BBC story, as if the Russians weren't hinky enough already, now we're going in on their other side:

Standing beneath the dramatic Caucasus mountain range in northern Azerbaijan, the Qabala radar station is a stark concrete block which dominates the rural landscape. This former Soviet installation is now at the centre of discussions between Moscow and Washington. Russian president Vladimir Putin suggested it could be used for a joint missile defence project as an alternative to the United States' plan to build a missile shield in Europe to guard against attacks from what it describes as "rogue states". The US sees Iran - bordering on Azerbaijan - as a potential threat. Qabala is an integral part of Russia's defence system, leased from the Azeri government and used since the 1980s for monitoring missile launches, with an estimated range of 6,000 kilometres (3,720 miles). It provides work for hundreds of Azeris, as well as the many Russians who are based here. It remains top-secret, and is protected by checkpoints and electrified fences.
There was local scepticism about any possible US involvement in the radar station, which once tracked American military activity. "I do not think the Americans will bring anything good here," said Mustafa, a local teacher. "They haven't ever done anything for Azerbaijan and they only act in their own interests."
President Putin's proposal came as a surprise in Azerbaijan, as it did in the West. But Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev responded positively, saying it would serve the country's "long-term strategic interests".
President Bush has described Mr Putin's idea as 'interesting", and it will be discussed when the two leaders meet in July. But the Russian military analyst Alexander Goltz suspects that Mr Putin's offer was simply a political ploy to upset US plans, and questions whether using the Azeri installation would be technically viable. "If you take this seriously, Qabala at least needs to be modernised because it has a totally different purpose at the moment. It cannot guide interceptor missiles," Mr Goltz told the BBC. "The question is whether the US will agree to use Qabala to show it has a close partnership with Russia. It's about political strategy, not military strategy."
Concerns have also been raised that the proposed missile defence project could damage Azerbaijan's relations with neighbouring Iran. The US believes Iran is trying to develop nuclear weapons. An Iranian foreign ministry spokesman has warned that US involvement at Qabala could cause "instability and insecurity" in the region.