Czech senate approves U.S. shield plan

PRAGUE, Czech Republic, Nov. 27 (UPI) -- The Czech Parliament's upper house has approved a plan by the United States to install a component of a planned missile defense shield in the Czech Republic.

However, the plan must still overcome opposition from lawmakers in the Parliament's lower house, the BBC reported Thursday.

The U.S. plan would install a radar in the Czech Republic and station 10 interceptor rockets in Poland as defense against missile attacks from countries considered rogue states by Washington.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said early in November that Russian forces would deploy new short-range Iskander missiles in the Kaliningrad region to "neutralize" the shield, which Russian officials have described as a direct threat to their country.