MOSCOW, June 5 (Xinhua) -- Russia and the United States will hold a joint counter-terrorism naval exercise in September in the Sea of Japan, the Interfax news agency reported Tuesday.

    It will be the largest Russian-U.S. joint exercise since 1998, Interfax quoted John Mark Pommersheim, U.S. consul general in the far east city of Vladivostok, as saying.

    A Russian naval delegation is in Hawaii and preparing for the exercise, he said.

    Moscow and Washington are at odds on an array of issues, especially the U.S. plan to deploy a missile defense shield in Central Europe. The plan is facing strong opposition from Russia.

    Russian President Vladimir Putin Monday warned that Russia would take retaliatory measures against the alleged first "elements of U.S. nuclear potential" appearing on the European continent.

    Russia successfully test-launched a new type of intercontinental ballistic missile last Tuesday, claiming it can pierce through any anti-missile shield.

    Putin and his U.S. counterpart George W. Bush are expected to find solutions during talks at the G8 summit this week in Germany and during Putin's visit to the United States next month.