Saturday, May 14, 2016
Putin: NATO’s missile shield in Romania: 'It's not a defense system, it's a breach of strategic balance'.
Putin: NATO’s missile shield complex activation in Romania: 'It's not a defense system, it's a breach of strategic balance'. (Tass).
The deployment of a radar system in Romania complicates the international situation around Russia, President Vladimir Putin said at a meeting with military commanders on Friday.
"The latest developments suggest that the situation is not changing for the better. Unfortunately, it is being aggravated, considering the deployment of a radar station in Romania as an element of the US missile defense shield system," Putin said.
Russia has numerously voiced its concerns over the deployment of NATO’s missile shield and offered cooperation with US partners, which was actually rejected, Putin said.
"We have spoken a lot about our concerns, proposed cooperation and joint work with American partners. All this was rejected, as a matter of fact," Putin said at a meeting on the development of Russia’s defense industry. He expressed regret that Washington offered no concrete work on this issue.
‘Now that the elements of the [NATO] missile defense system have been deployed [in Europe], we will have to think of how to reduce the threats arising for Russia’s national security," the head of state noted.
"We are not going to be dragged into this race but we will follow our own path and will work extremely carefully in order not to exceed our plans to finance the retooling of our army and fleet, which we drafted a few years ago. However, we are going to adjust these plans to reduce threats to Russia’s national security," he added. Hmmm.........Kaliningrad. Read the full story here.
Wednesday, June 25, 2014
Ukraine asking for ‘big gas reverse’ from Slovakia
Ukraine asking for ‘big gas reverse’ from Slovakia. (RT).
“We have signed a memorandum which stipulates that the maximum amount of small reverse supplies stands at 22 million cubic meters daily. There is another option, large reverse supplies, which may provide us with up to 30 billion cubic meters of gas annually,” Yuri Prodan said during a meeting with EU Energy Commissioner Gunther Oettinger in Brussels.
Ukraine has already struck a deal to import 3.2 billion cubic meters of gas from Slovakia through reverse flow, as well as from neighboring Hungary and Poland. The two countries signed a memorandum of intent in April.
Kiev is highly dependent on Russia’s Gazprom to keep the heat on in the winter, but has fallen out with the gas producer over pricing and its huge debt. At the beginning of June, Gazprom switched Ukraine to a prepayment system.
Gazprom doubts the legality of reverse flow gas into Ukraine, since under the contract countries cannot redistribute Russian gas.
Deliveries from Slovakia could satisfy up to 20 percent of Ukraine’s natural gas demand, which in 2013 was 55 billion cubic meters. Hmmm.....It's going to be a long cold Russian Winter.
Tuesday, June 24, 2014
Putin asks Russian Federation council to repeal decision to use military force in Ukraine.
Putin asks Russian Federation council to repeal decision to use military force in Ukraine.(RT).
President Vladimir Putin has proposed the upper house to call off the March 1 resolution allowing the head of state to use the armed forces on the territory of Ukraine, said presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov.
The Federation Council is preparing to consider the cancelation proposal on Wednesday, June 25.
“Because of the beginning of the three-party talks to settle down the situation in the eastern parts of Ukraine, the head of state has addressed to the Federation Council to repeal the resolution on the use of Russian armed forces on the territory of Ukraine,” ITAR-TASS cited Peskov as saying.
The president sent an address to Federation Council Valentina Matvienko today morning, ahead of leaving on official visit to Vienna.
The Federation Council’s resolution of March 1 agreed on the president‘s right to use military force on the territory of the neighboring Ukraine “until the normalization of the social and political situation in that country.”
The resolution was adopted following a presidential address demanding security be maintained “for citizens of the Russian Federation, our compatriots and personnel of the Russian contingent deployed in accordance with international agreements on the territory of the Autonomous Crimea Republic of Ukraine.”
The resolution was adopted in accordance of the first part of the Article 102 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation.
Sunday, June 22, 2014
Ukrainian Pres. Poroshenko does not exclude the third world war, Russian troops marching towards Ukr border.
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In Crimea Russians to pull artillery positions Ukrainian border[GoogleTranslate]. |
Ukrainian Pres. Poroshenko does not exclude the third world war.
Ukrainian military shelled a village near the border with Russia [Googletranslate]
Порошенко не виключає Третю світову війну http://t.co/2A7X2oMP9O
— 24 канал (@24tvua) June 22, 2014
So much for "de-escalation" "@StateOfUkraine: A huge (2 km long) Russian military convoy heading towards Ukraine http://t.co/n1GstgHwnV"
— Bill Browder (@Billbrowder) June 22, 2014
From the city Kamensk-Shahtinsk, located at a distance of 30 km. from the Ukrainian border, went convoy of Russian troops. They move in the direction of Ukraine
This is reported by sources Espreso.TV .
The column consists of a huge number of tanks, KAMAZ and other military equipment. It stretches over 2 km.
Note that the DNR continues to seek volunteers Panzer Division, which is composed of 250 tanks.
Interestingly, Russian President Vladimir Putin believes that Ukrainian troops continue ATO despite truce and does not notice the actions of terrorists. Also, Russians pidtyahnuly artillery positions in the Crimea to Ukrainian border. Earlier it was reported that the Russians in the Crimea to pull artillery positions Ukrainian border.
Marshal Dmitry Yazov: Russia troops in Ukraine could trigger World War III
http://t.co/IT1Fks3Xn5 pic.twitter.com/eCCmidsteJ
— Ukraine Business (@UkraineBusines) June 22, 2014
#Donetsk:Supreme Council applies to the #UN for recognition of its sovereignty, #DPR official confirms.
— PaulaSlier_RT (@PaulaSlier_RT) June 22, 2014
BREAKING Reports large #Russia column of tanks and APCs heading to #Ukraine border now. #cdnpoli http://t.co/mXrvM3oXec …
— Rock Solid Politics (@BradCabana) June 22, 2014
Russia's Putin calls for compromise in Ukraine (from @AP) http://t.co/r82u2GIa3Z
— Nataliya Vasilyeva (@NatVasilyevaAP) June 22, 2014
Ukrainian Pres. Poroshenko warns of ‘detailed Plan B’ if Ukraine ceasefire fails.
Ukrainian Pres. Poroshenko warns of ‘detailed Plan B’ if Ukraine ceasefire fails. (RT).
“Peaceful scenario – it is our plan A,” Poroshenko said in a statement on his website. “But those who expect to use the peace talks only to gain time to regroup, should know that we have a detailed plan B. I am not going to talk about it now, because I believe that our peace plan will work.”The ceasefire in eastern Ukraine took effect on June 20 and will last until June 27, the day Kiev plans to sign the EU Association agreement.
However, “the military will be given the right to return fire if Ukrainian army units or peaceful civilians are attacked,” Poroshenko said in his decree. Since then, the tensions have slightly eased in some areas, but the Ukrainian army is still using artillery and the air force in sporadic clashes with anti-Kiev militias.
Poroshenko claims the ceasefire is designed to enable local self-defence militias to lay down their arms and flee the country, or be destroyed. He also, while drafting the plan with Kiev-appointed governors of the defiant regions, rejected any possibility of negotiations with representatives of anti-Kiev forces.
While welcoming Kiev’s ceasefire efforts, the Russian president said the current peace plan on the table “should not take the form of an ultimatum to militia groups,” according to the Kremlin statement. It’s not enough to just put hostilities on pause, but vital to immediately start “constructive negotiations” to reach a viable compromise between the parties to the conflict.
“Russia notes that the proposed plan will not be viable or realistic if no practical steps are taken to commence the negotiation process,” the statement reads, shedding doubt that it would work as “the confrontation continues and shells from the Ukrainian side land and explode on the Russian territory.”
Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has said that most clauses of President Poroshenko's peace plan look more like an ultimatum to the militias in Donetsk and Lugansk regions rather than an invitation to dialogue.
“The plan lacks the key thing – a proposal to start dialogue. This is a drastic departure from the Geneva statement of April 17 which is still supported by all of our Western partners, the United States, the European Union and the Ukrainian authorities or at least they say so,” Lavrov said, reports Itar-Tass.
OPINION: Ukraine peace plan is ‘Poroshenko’s PR move in a form of ultimatum’
Lavrov once again highlighted that Moscow is alarmed that Kiev continues the shelling, which now impact Russian border crossings with Ukraine.
“We are very much alarmed and worried by the fact that simultaneously with the announcement of the peace plan, a military operation was stepped up, which resulted in people wounded on the Russian side,” he said.
Saturday, June 21, 2014
Russian Pres Putin orders surprise drills to check combat readiness of central Russia forces.
Russian Pres Putin orders surprise drills to check combat readiness of central Russia forces. (RT).
Russia’s troops in the Central Military District have been put on alert to verify troops’ combat-readiness during massive war games of all branches of the armed forces. The exercises involve the relocation of military personnel and hardware, firing training and complex inspections.
“In accordance with president’s order, today starting from 11:00 Moscow time [07:00 GMT] all troops of the Central Military District have been placed in a state of full combat readiness," Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu said at staff meeting.The drills will last for a week, from June 21 through 28, Shoigu said.
During the first 24 hours, the troops’ readiness for immediate deployment on a combat mission will be checked.
After that, military units will switch to tactical training, marching in battle formation to firing ranges for practice, Shoigu said.
Air Force units in the district will relocate planes to operational airfields to check their readiness for action in new locations. In particular, the 98th Airborne Division will be relocated from the Ivanovo Region of the Volga Federal District to the Urals for paratrooper jump exercises at the Chebarkul firing range.
The minister specifically ordered units to avoid any possible damage to civilian installations and infrastructure during the military drills, and to ensure the safety of military personnel, arms and hardware.
The June 21-28 drill is the second stage of general exercises in the Central Military District, Shoigu said. A special commission has already verified the general situation in the district and now the war games will give the picture of combat readiness of the troops stationed on a swathe of huge territory from the Volga River through the Urals Mountains to Siberia, and from the Kara Sea in the Arctic to the steppe on Russia’s southern border with Kazakhstan.
Shoigu said that the 28th and 35th Motorized Brigades began the training June 20, when both units were put on alert ahead of the rest of the military forces in the region.
#Russia's snap military drill by the numbers: 65,000 troops, 5,500 weapon units & military vehicles, 180 planes, 60 helicopters
— Kirit Radia (@KiritRadia) June 21, 2014
#Ukraine - Putin issues response to Poroshenko's ceasefire announcement [via @RFERL]:
The announcement of Ukrain… http://t.co/q7SehXqMVC
— Yannis Koutsomitis (@YanniKouts) June 21, 2014
So #Putin orders snap drills in #Siberia?On the eve of #Nazi #Germany's invasion of #USSR. His last snap drills annexed #Ukraine's #Crimea.
— Ukrainian Updates (@Ukroblogger) June 21, 2014
BREAKING #Russia puts #Ukraine’s Interior Minister Arsen Avakov on intl wanted list http://t.co/Ld9GutB3rU #cdnpoli
— Rock Solid Politics (@BradCabana) June 21, 2014
#Donetsk - Column of armoured vehicles of NAF at Tores, near Donetsk http://t.co/Yu4iNOcvWE http://t.co/jDOMRKXaJS via @ofehr_en #Ukraine
— Rock Solid Politics (@BradCabana) June 21, 2014
Friday, June 20, 2014
Russia Continues Military Exercise near EU Border, 'Eliminates' Militant Group
Russia Continues Military Exercise near EU Border, 'Eliminates' Militant Group. (RN).
Paratroopers and coastal troops taking part in a large scale exercise in Russia’s Baltic enclave of Kaliningrad successfully “eliminated” a group of militants, according to the Russian Baltic Fleet’s press office.“In the exercise’s scenario, intelligence was received about an illegal military group’s presence in one of the districts of Kaliningrad Region. A motorized infantry regiment was alerted,” said the statement. The motorized infantry regiment had to move 60 kilometers with artillery support to force the surrender of and eliminate the “potential enemy” forces.
During the first stage of the drills, Sukhoi Su-34 and Su-34 bombers engaged land targets, while the Friday exercise involved about 1,000 military personnel and more than 100 pieces of military hardware, including aviation.
The joint exercise of Russia’s Baltic Fleet, Air Force and paratroopers is taking place at the same time as the NATO’s Saber Strike 2014 and Baltops 2014 exercises. The Russian Defense Ministry earlier said the number of troops deployed by Russia for the Kaliningrad military exercises is comparable to the ongoing NATO drills in terms of personnel and military hardware.
Following the reunification of Crimea with Russia, NATO has been flexing its military muscle near the Russian border. Moscow has repeatedly expressed concern over the West’s aggressive pressure on Russia.