Russia plans to deploy Iskander missiles on the European Union's border later this year, a source in its western Baltic Fleet told the Interfax news agency on Wednesday.

A source told the news agency that senior naval staff had confirmed plans to assign personnel for a naval unit set to service the missile complexes in the Kaliningrad exclave that borders EU members Poland and Lithuania.

"Recently in Moscow the senior command confirmed the staffing of a naval unit that is being created to put the Iskander missile complexes into service," the source said.

In November President Dmitry Medvedev said Russia was prepared to deploy Iskander missiles, which officials said have a range of up to 500 kilometres (310 miles), to strike against a planned US defence system in eastern Europe.

The first unit equipped with Iskander missiles is set to appear in the Kaliningrad region in the second half of the year, the source said, adding that S-400 missile systems would be deployed there in spring.