Russia has dropped plans to install short-range Iskander missiles in its enclave region of Kaliningrad after the U.S. scrapped its missile defense program in Eastern Europe. Deputy Defense Minister Vladimir Popovkin today said reasons prevailed over ambitions, and there is no need in deploying tactical Iskander systems in Kaliningrad. He said Russia had planned to take measures in response to the deployment of U.S. missile defense systems in the Czech Republic and Poland. Popovkin said one of these was the deployment of Iskander missiles in the Kaliningrad region and will cancel the measure. U.S. President Barack Obama on Thursday announced plans to scuttle a Bush-era missile defense shield program in favor of a phased, adaptive approach in Eastern Europe.