Russia could place missiles in neighboring Belarus to counter a planned US missile defense system, a senior Russian general has said. Col-Gen Vladimir Zaritsky spoke after Belarus, a close ally of Russia, said it would re-equip its forces with new Russian Iskander short-range missiles. Russia says the US plan to site parts of a missile defense system in Poland and the Czech Republic is a threat. The US says it is needed to counter missiles fired by states such as Iran. (BBC)