Moscow, Sep 29 (IANS): Russian Deupty Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov has said the country knows everything about the US missile shield's composition in Europe.

"We have technical data about the number of interceptors, the set of launch-tracking tools and warning radars, the new platforms such as ground-based launchers and additional cruisers and destroyers," Xinhua quoted the minister as saying Friday.

There is still time for Russia and the US to reach an agreement over the missile defence system. But a deadline is fast approaching, he said.

Such an agreement should be reached before Washington begins the third phase of the missile shield deployment, the minister added.

Moscow has always opposed the deployment of U.S.-led European missile defence facilities near its borders and has called for legally binding guarantees from the US and NATO that the missile shield will not target Russia.

On Friday, Ryabkov reiterated Moscow's insistence on a legally binding pledge that the system would not target Russia.