President Vladimir Putin ordered an urgent drill to test the combat readiness of the armed forces across western Russia on Wednesday, flexing Moscow’s military muscle amid tension with the West over Ukraine.
Putin has ordered several such surprise drills in different Russian regions since he returned to the presidency in 2012, saying the military must be kept on its toes, but the crisis in neighboring Ukraine gave them added geopolitical resonance.
“In accordance with an order from the president of the Russian Federation, forces of the Western Military District were put on alert at 1400 (0500 ET) today,” the Interfax news agency quoted Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu as saying.
The western district encompasses most of western Russia and borders Ukraine, which lies between NATO nations and Russia.
Forces must “be ready to bomb unfamiliar testing grounds” as part of the drill, Shoigu told a Defence Ministry meeting.
Putin has made no public comment on Ukraine since President Viktor Yanukovich was driven from power over the weekend after months of political turmoil sparked by his decision to spurn deals with the European Union and improve ties with Russia.
The United States and European nations have warned Russia against military intervention in Ukraine, a former Soviet republic that Putin has called a “brother nation” and wants to be part of a Eurasian Union he is building in the region.
Russian officials have said Moscow will not interfere in Ukraine, while accusing the West of doing so, and Interfax cited the speaker of the upper parliament house, Valentina Matviyenko, as saying on Wednesday it would not use force.
But Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said on Monday that Russia’s interests and its citizens in Ukraine were under threat, language reminiscent of statements justifying Russia’s invasion of Georgia in 2008, when he was president.
Shoigu said the drill would be conducted in two stages, ending on March 3, and also involved the command centers of Russia’s Air and Space Defence forces, paratroops and long-range aviation as well as some troops in central Russia.
In the two-day first stage, military units would be brought to “the highest degree of combat readiness” and would be deployed to testing areas on land and sea, Interfax quoted Shoigu as saying.
The second stage would include tactical exercises and involve warships from the Northern and Baltic Fleets, he said, and some warplanes would move to combat airfields.
No mention was made of the Black Sea Fleet, which is based in Sevastopol in Crimea, where tension over Ukraine’s turmoil is high because of its presence and a large Russian-speaking population.
Shoigu said the drill would also test the counterterrorism measures in place at military units. Russian officials have referred to some of the Ukrainian opposition forces whose protests pushed Yanukovich from power as “terrorists”.
A bit off topic, but I still wonder about the Yanuk resignation:
Yanuk signs EU supervised agreement with opposition that basically makes oppo looks like bunch of fools as he will be president till December. Sikorski says to three opposition leaders that if it won’t be signed Yanuk will declare martial law and move paratroopers in Kiev. This is reinforced by documents wihch were found after Yanuk ouster and were full of orders from new COS.
Few hours later Berkut disappears from Maidan and Yanuk goes AWOL during the night. What we know is that he quickly ran to his villa, tried to destry as many documents as possible and than GTFO from Kiev to unknown location. MoI also is saw burning documents.
What happened between those two events? Yanuk had no reason to do this, he consolidated political power with the deal and already had military power. Yet from one hour to another everything changes he runs so quickly as no one did in Europe in past many decades.
Only thing that comes into my mind is that someone powerfull called him and made it clear that unless he does so, he will die. Not imprisoned, but flat out dead. It wasn’t Russians. It wasn’t EU. It wasn’t political opposition and Maidan militia would never scare him so.
Only thing that comes into mind are oligarchs. Chief among them Akhmetov.
Just a speculation on my part but this seems weird.
Concerning any intervention or split it is much too early.
The Americans seem to be drunk on chutzpah again:
US warns Russia on Ukraine, nudges Georgia to West http://news.yahoo.com/us-warns-russia-ukraine-nudges-georgia-west-180724720–politics.html
From what is said there it seems that not only are the harpys trying to scare Russia away from their recent Ukrainian “kill”, the coup handlers may be intending to spread their extremist proxies beyond the Ukraine and that the bandera rebellion was just the beginning of a new zionazi/western fascist major campaign of aggression. It’s certainly a worldwide campaign already, with the zionazis now openly using the same tactics against Venezuela:
Protesters in Venezuela ‘don’t seem to have clear demands’ http://rt.com/op-edge/venezuela-anti-government-protests-819/
&
Venezuelan opposition takes cue from Euromaidan? http://rt.com/op-edge/protests-in-venezuela-euromaidan-ukraine-477/
вот так
Hillary Clinton had warned a few months ago that Putin’s effort to regroup the former Soviet countries in a new Eurasion Union would be wrecked by the US.
Has Russia no intelligence in Ucraina, does Russia know how masses can be manipulated ?
“How Russians were duped by the U.S. for the N-th time” Department.
It seams Russia grossly underestimated US ability to strike back.
Ukraine were to be a part of Eurasian Union achieved with peaceful means but the blueprint may be shelved now.
I deeply disagree with you, Saker, when you say Russia does not need Ukraine territorially, just contrary and that was to be achieved through Eurasian Union. Can you imagine California to be La Raza State with which the US cooperate economically and Russian has their mil bases there? But that’s what you suggest is in Russian interest. (Well, the American elites/whores would agree to the scenario if it’d brought more profits and a lot of more profits.)
The same chain of events tested on Ukraine nowadays it is said to have high probability of success when deployed in China and there is the Saudi Arabia getting ready for the US to “strike back” against Syria.
How come the Russians were so blind and dumb not to predict the path of the events in Ukraine, knowing the lack of military power from the side of the government, lack of will to use militia and security forces and the US pressure on oligarchs not to use force against Maidan (vide phone conversations with leading Libyan officers or commanders predating the NATO attack on the country) is beyond my understanding.
What went wrong as far as Russia is concerned? Sochi? Petty advisers? Internal struggles?
When will the famous Russian Bear stop parading with white gloves like circus clown?
a minor piece of news, too
http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/afp/140226/hungary-slams-unacceptable-revoking-ukraine-language-law
fck the eu, for real
Russia Seeks Several Military Bases Abroad – Defense Minister
http://en.ria.ru/military_news/20140226/187917901/Russia-Seeks-Several-Military-Bases-Abroad–Defense-Minister.html
“Russia is planning to expand its permanent military presence outside its borders by placing military bases in a number of foreign countries, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said Wednesday.
Shoigu said the list includes Vietnam, Cuba, Venezuela, Nicaragua, the Seychelles, Singapore and several other countries.
“The talks are under way, and we are close to signing the relevant documents,” Shoigu told reporters in Moscow.
The minister added that the negotiations cover not only military bases but also visits to ports in such countries on favorable conditions as well as the opening of refueling sites for Russian strategic bombers on patrol…”
I speculated earlier that Ukraine and Venezuela are the beginning of a NWO coup “blitz” on uncontrolled countries. I cant see the western dominance fanatics accepting any of this without trying their usual nasty tricks. At least Vietnam, Nicaragua and Cuba can probably also expect trouble now.
вот так
Solzhenitsyn’s 200 Years Together is in fact being translated into English by writers affiliated with The Occidental Observer and Counter-Currents.com.
Here are relevant summaries from Professor Kevin MacDonald:
http://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=occidental+Observer+200+Years+Together
And here is a link to the chapters of the text that have been translated thus far:
http://ethnopoliticsonline.com/archives/ais/ais%20main.html
This is a volunteer oriented project. It has not received any major funding and publication of this book has been blocked by Jewish bigwigs.
Any help your readers can offer will be greatly appreciated.
Also, I urge your readers who have the stomach for politically incorrect dogmas to take a serious look at Professor Kevin MacDonald’s commentaries on how 200 Years Together applies to the metapolitics that dominate the web today. Professor MacDonald is one of the most important political dissidents of our time, and unlike the ones sponsored by the foundation funded left (eg: Chomsky, Chris Hedges, Bill Moyers, or any “intellectual” appearing on PBS or NPR, you are unlikely to be exposed to his work unless you wander out to the bleeding edge of the radical right.
Here is a video you may appreciate:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMlGFGaN-6s
I’m new actually to writing here, but I’ve go to agree with anonymous (26 February, 2014 15:22): Russia really screwed this one up, maybe even irreparably. I mean rattling the saber against Ukraine?? For real? Is that all we’ve got left to do?
How did such a deeply corrupt loser like Yanukovych become Russia’s anointed in the first place? How was there not even a basic contingency plan–e.g. a snap presidential election–put into place the moment Yanukovych decided he was not going to sign the EU deal?
He could have explained to the people what a bad deal the EU thing was, and highlighted what a good deal the Eurasia one was, and let them decide. All this could have gone way differently, but no basic forethought went into any of it.
Germany, but only about 10 years after the defeat of Nazism, managed, with France and Benelux, to smith together the EEC. Yet, here we are, 20+ years after the collapse of Communism, and Russia still has a crippling image problem.
In the face of bald-faced, rogue-nation style US-imperialism, if you can’t convince a country like Ukraine, with all its natural cultural and economic convergences with a brother nation like Russia, of the merits of the Eurasian Union, then whom can you convince? Someone’s clearly doing something wrong.
Look now, the land of Ukraine, the very mother of our precious Russian Orthodoxy, has a Baptist President (Turchynov) and a slithering Uniate (Yatseniuk) as Prime Minister. Is this for real?? Massive fail!
You’ve done a lot of great things for Russia, VVP, but now it’s time just to send the troops home from the exercises, and go back to the drawing board.
Next time, don’t believe all the BS about the tribes putting away the swords for the Olympics. No time is sacred for Russia’s enemies, for the very notion of the sacred is alien to them. We saw what happened with Georgia in 2008.
Thanks Леонид
But the issue is even worse than I thought until I read the two texts:
Ukrainian Neo-Nazis Declare that Power Comes Out of the Barrels of their Guns
http://www.paulcraigroberts.org/2014/02/26/ukrainian-neo-nazis-declare-power-comes-barrels-guns/
The Road to Moscow Goes Through Kiev: A Coup d’Etat That Threatens Russia
http://www.globalresearch.ca/the-road-to-moscow-goes-through-kiev-how-the-protests-in-ukraine-transformed-into-a-coup-that-could-target-russia/5370479
I’m afraid it is Mr Putin who will have to clean the Augean, pardon, US-EU-Ukrainian stable… not only for the Russia. Read the two texts.
Found this on a couple of sites:
Украина: Что делать? http://veche-info.ru/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=970:2014-02-23-16-54-35&catid=1:latest-news&Itemid=1
&
АнтиМайдан Харьков: бандитов пора стрелять! http://left.ru/2014/1/antimaidan225.phtml
The proposal is a fairly comprehensive outline on how to defend against the bandera zionazis once they begin terrorising the eastern part of the Ukraine.
That terrorising began yesterday in Crimea. So today:
Crisis in Ukraine: gov’t buildings in Crimea seized. LIVE UPDATES
http://voiceofrussia.com/2014_02_27/Crisis-in-Ukraine-govt-buildings-in-Crimea-seized-LIVE-UPDATES-3904/
“11:27
An official who was on duty at the prime minister’s reception office was allowed to leave the building as well. No one was injured during the events.
11:26
The building of Crimea’s government was taken over by a group of some 30 people at around 4:30 am local time on Thursday. These persons ordered police officers guarding the government headquarters to leave the building and gave their officially issued weapons and ID cards back to them.
10:53
Interfax-Ukraine said the men in combat dress but without badges took control without a fight.
10:51
The buildings housing the parliament and government of Ukraine’s Autonomous Republic of Crimea are currently under the control of self-defense units.
10:47
Spontaneously formed self-defense units in Crimea are directed to to Simferopol – ITAR-TASS correspondent reports.”
вот так
Damn! Tel Aviv’s queens are going into hysterical mode (and apparently pissing themselves):
(same source as previous post)
“08:28 GMT: Ukraine’s acting President Aleksandr Turchinov has urged for calm after the seizure of administration buildings in Crimea by “criminals in military fatigues,” Reuters reported him as saying.” (hard not to laugh at that zionazi chutzpah)
08:38 GMT: Ukraine’s acting President Aleksandr Turchinov has warned Russia against “military aggression” in Crimea. He stressed that Russian troop movements around the Black Sea Fleet’s base in Sevastopol, Crimea, would be seen by Ukraine as act of aggression.
09:28 GMT: Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry summoned Russia’s acting envoy in Kiev on Thursday and called for immediate consultations with Moscow following the seizure of the regional government and parliament buildings in Crimea.
It said in a written statement that the envoy, Andrey Vorobyov, had been handed a note requesting that Russian military based in the Crimean port of Sevastopol stay on base.
Russia recalled its ambassador from Kiev for consultations in Moscow after parliament stripped President Viktor Yanukovich of his powers on Saturday. (Reuters)”
вот так
Now members of the next higher management level in the zionazi world corporation are issuing threats:
(Same source)
“13:12: The seizure of government buildings by armed men in Ukraine’s Crimea region could lead to a regional conflict, Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said on Thursday.
13:13: Germany is concerned about events in Crimea and a breakup of Ukraine must be avoided, Germany’s Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen said on Thursday.
13:52: NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen has expressed concern about the Crimean situation and asked Russia not to do anything that may further escalate the tensions.
Meanwhile, Yanukovych has resurfaced:
Ukraine’s Yanukovych asks Russia to ensure his security – statement http://voiceofrussia.com/news/2014_02_27/Ukraines-Yanukovych-asks-Russia-to-ensure-his-security-1887/
Yanukovych says he is legitimate President of Ukraine, urges to restore constitutional order http://voiceofrussia.com/news/2014_02_27/Yanukovych-says-he-is-still-legitimate-president-of-Ukraine-urges-to-restore-constitutional-order-6422/
While ANNA posted what is claimed as a presidential decree from Yanukovych:
МОЛНИЯ: Указ Президента Украины № 90/2014 от 27 февраля 2014 http://anna-news.info/node/13745
вот так
@ Pour la Syrie
I think Yanukovich just got fucked over. His biggest mistake was to try to please everybody, which resulted in the lack of decisiveness, while he probably saw his moves as a balancing act. You are mistaken when you say he consolidated power. His presidency until December is worthless since the agreement handed authority to parliament in Kiev. I think he signed the agreement as he was promised a fair chance at upcoming elections. As usual he was just trying to slip through the trouble and carry on pillaging the Ukraine. All in all, it is clear that Yanukovich is a great example of a non-leader.
@ Saker
It is indeed shocking to read the attitude of the Papacy towards Russian Orthodox Christians for which you provided a link in the article. The quote below is about how Russia’s rise was flawed and then outlines what the Papacy would like to see occur in Russia and the world.
“Unhappily for Russia and for the Church, this power is guided at present by blind prejudice. Not only is Russia separated from Catholic unity, but political interest and the recollection of ancient strifes, convince her that her greatness depends upon the triumph of what she calls orthodoxy, which is simply the Photian schism. Yet the Roman Church, ever devoted and generous, opens wide her arms to welcome back her wandering daughter; forgetting the injuries she has received, she asks but to be greeted with the name of mother. Let this word be uttered, and a whole sad past will be effaced, Russia becoming Catholic would mean an end to Islamism, and the definitive triumph of the Cross upon the Bosphorus, without any danger to Europe; the Christian empire in the East restored with a glory and a power hitherto unknown; Asia evangelized, not by a few poor isolated priests, but with the help of an authority greater than that of Charlemagne; and lastly, the Slavonic race brought into unity of faith and aspirations, for its own greater glory. This transformation will be the greatest event of the century that shall see its accomplishment; it will change the face of the world.”
Saker-
Outstanding blog. No slight on the toughness of individual Russians, but their military (army not so much navy) is a clusterfuck. Yeah, if the competition were “let’s see whose Non-comms are best at hazing the shit out of raw recruits while shaking them down for beer money” I’d have to say the Russians would win. But in force projection they suck buckets. Look at chechnya and afghanistan – and yes, I am fully aware of the total disaster the USA’s adventures in Af-pak and Iraq, but keep in mind we had ludicrous ROE’s.
I am a US Navy vet of what you’d call ‘Latin’ heritage, but with strong orthodox sympathies as my family hails from “magna graecia”, plus my own study of the idiocy of the “great” schism.
To give the devil his due you must remember that the USA’s largest ethnic group remains “frankish”, essentially teutonic stock, who, pound for pound have proven the best soldiers since “hermann the german” totally wiped out three legions in the Teutoberger Wald back when Rome’s legions were at their peak.
My point is that the USA is essentially the latest and greatest Prussian war machine, with all the requisite Nuremberg Rally flag waving at every football game. I’m not proud of it, but don’t discount it.
– the Pugliese squid
@the Pugliese squid:No slight on the toughness of individual Russians, but their military (army not so much navy) is a clusterfuck.
That was true in the 1990s. Not today. I don’t think that you realize how much has changed in Russia since 2000. However, what you say is still true for the Ukrainian military which stayed stuck with the kind of regime Russia had in the 1990s. But I assure you, you are deeply, deeply mistaken. Just check out the readiness of the Russian military in 2008 (both the BSF and the 58th Army) and then consider that this was 6 years ago.
In fact, I would argue that it is the US military which is clusterfucked and FUBARed, as shown by its performance in Iraq and Afghanistan…
Cheers!
The Saker
Saker – I would have to agree with you. Most Americans have no idea how Russia has upgraded it’s weapons systems and it’s military. The U.S. military has been devastated by the NWO/NeoCon gangster wars that have killed many people on both sides and maimed many soldiers in the US military. Due to corruption, many weapons systems like F-35 are junk. The M-16/M4 is 50 years old and it still has problems. The American public will not allow another war and America is financially bankrupt now. Obama is not liked or trusted by the majority of Americans.