Lavrov, asked whether Romania and Deveselu are still targets for Russia: “It is a secret”

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov refused to say whether Romania and the missile defense facility at Deveselu are still considered military targets by the Russian Federation. He gave the response in New York, after the conclusion of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly, during a press conference.

The question was asked by a Romanian journalist representing Realitatea Plus. She reminded Lavrov that, in 2016, Vladimir Putin warned that Romania was in Russia’s sights because of the U.S. military base at Deveselu. “Are Deveselu and Romania still on Russia’s list of military targets?” the journalist asked.

Lavrov replied in Russian: “Well, that is a secret,” after which he smiled. The statement does not clarify Moscow’s current position, but it brings renewed attention to the dispute over Romania’s Aegis Ashore system.

The Deveselu facility became operational in May 2016 and is integrated into NATO’s missile defense architecture. The Alliance maintains that the system is strictly defensive, intended to detect, track and intercept ballistic missiles. Russia has challenged this position and claimed that the Mk 41 launchers could potentially be used for other types of missiles. NATO rejects the allegations and says the system has no offensive capabilities.