MOSCOW, March 16 (Xinhua) -- The deployment of elements of the U.S. missile defense system in Europe could result in another arms race, commander of the Russia's special forces Col. Gen. Yury Solovyov said Friday.

    "The deployment of elements of U.S. missile defense system will not have a significant impact on our strategic aspects. In my opinion, they will not be able to intercept our ICBMs (Intercontinental Ballistic Missile System)," Solovyov was quoted by the Interfax news agency as saying.

    However, the deployment of the missile defense system "may drag us into another turn of the arms race," the general said.

    And it is "bad for us in view of the permanent surveillance of Russian territory by our potential enemies," Solovyov said.

    "This will result in increasing the spending for training, including in the area of electronic warfare and aviation," he said.

    "A missile defense system is a very expensive thing for any state," he added.

    The United States is seeking to deploy a missile defense radar in the Czech Republic and interceptor missiles in Poland as part of its shield against ballistic missiles.

    U.S. officials have said the missile defense system is not targeted at Russia, but the plans have nevertheless drawn sharp criticism from Moscow.

    A top Russian military commander has warned that the bases that host the radar and missiles could be on the list of its targets if the two countries decide to host them.