Kremlin says NATO is trying to encircle it close to the strategically important Black Sea

The United States switched on an $800 million missile shield in Romania on Thursday, a step it sees as vital to defend itself and Europe but which the Kremlin said is aimed at blunting its own nuclear arsenal.

To the music of military bands at the remote Deveselu air base, senior US and NATO officials declared operational the ballistic missile defense site, which Washington said is capable of shooting down rockets from countries such as Iran that could one day reach major European cities.