MOSCOW, Feb. 14 (Xinhua) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that Russia "would have to take counter measures" against a U.S.-planned missile defense system in Ukraine.

    "Russia would have to take counter measures ... and target those which we think will pose threat to us," Putin said at his annual and maybe the last press conference before he steps down after a March 2 presidential election.

    The marathon conference in Kremlin is attended by nearly 1,400 domestic and foreign journalists and expected to last for three hours.

    Washington has pledged to base missile interceptors in Poland and a radar station in the Czech Republic as part of a project to extend the missile defense system to Europe.

    Moscow strongly opposes the plan, saying it poses a threat to its security while Washington says the system is aimed at states and groups in the Middle East which are seeking weapons of mass destruction, not against Russia.

    "By fanning anti-Russian sentiments in Poland, it's easier to pass a decision on fielding missiles in that country. What should Russia do? In that event, one will have to re-target parts of our missile systems at the facilities which, as we believe, will be a threat to us," Putin said.

    "The level of security in Europe will be decreased. I don't understand why ... We now live without any re-targeting. Why change the situation for the worse?" he said.

    Speaking after talks with Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenkoat the Kremlin last week, Putin told reporters that Russia, in response to a possible deployment of elements of the planned U.S. missile shield in Ukraine, "would have to target its offensive rocket systems at Ukraine."