Russia begins military exercises on Baltic borders
Up to 2,000 Russian soldiers are taking part in drills in the country's western Pskov region, which borders EU members Estonia and Latvia, Radio Free Europe reports.
The maneuvers, which will continue until 28 February, involve about 1,500 paratroopers and have soldiers capturing and destroying a fictional enemy's airfield, according to RFE.
The military exercises come amid mounting tension in the three Baltic states about possible Russian aggression following its seizure last year of Crimea and its alleged involvement in fighting in eastern Ukraine.
Lithuania recently announced plans to reintroduce conscription over what President Dalia Grybauskaite called concerns about the “current geopolitical environment.”
Lithuania and neighbors Latvia and Poland have spearheaded a group of EU countries calling for a tougher line with Russia. Poland, Ukraine, and Lithuania agreed last year to set up a joint military brigade.
In other developments:
Ukraine's army is starting the withdrawal of heavy weapons from the front line in the east as part of a truce, Defense Ministry sources quoted by the BBC say
Russian energy giant Gazprom has warned that Ukraine's prepaid supply of gas will last only until the end of the week, Deutsche Welle reports
Russia’s continued refusal to release imprisoned Ukrainian pilot Nadiya Savchenko has been described as “unacceptable” by the U.S. State Department, after the most recent cease-fire required the release of prisoners and hostages on both sides, NBC Newsreports. Savchenko, who is being held in Moscow on criminal charges, is in the 11th week of a hunger strike.
The Economist, meanwhile, reports that some members of the U.S. Congress continue to lobby for sending military equipment to Ukraine, including drones, radar, light anti-armor missiles, secure communications, armored Humvees, and “fully equipped field hospitals to cut the high death rate among injured soldiers.”
Source: www.tol.org
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
Military Drills Get Underway in Russia With 1,500 Paratroopers Taking Part
by Joel Harding
Russia is sending a clear message to the Baltic States.
The issue is Russia sending this message in a wide variety of areas. Of course they're not going to telegraph where they will attack next.
In this article, there was an airborne exercise is held in Pskov, near the Estonian border and along the main road into Latvia, also. That is supposed to be a strategic message but the military analyst in me says this is a big fail by Russia.
If we look at the Russian troops used in Donbas, we will see that only Airborne and Spetsnaz troops were even minimally effective as combat infantry, and even then we see they moved with incredible lack of speed. Russian airborne troops can only be compared to ordinary infantry soldiers in the West. Jumping in with parachutes puts them in a unique position on the battlefield but leaves them exposed and not in touch with supplies. I don't believe the Russians know how to properly use paratroopers, it's been 70 years since they've been employed as such. I spent a bunch of years in the 82nd Airborne Division, including on the Division staff, so I know. I also spent one incredible year in one of the battalions and we were highly proficient at combat operations after many, many rehearsals.
From the picture used by Sputnik, those paratroopers had no weapons, no equipment and were for show only. What a waste of a good propaganda opportunity, Igor.
Perhaps the message Russia is sending is 'we're here, we need a lot of practice but we're supposed to be sending a strategic message. But if anyone really looks at us, we fail.'
#RussiaFail
Russians Defense Ministry launched military drills with around 1,500 people and 200 units of military equipment taking part in the exercises.
Approximately 1,500 paratroopers are participating in military exercises in the Kostroma region in Central Russia, a Russian Defense Ministry source said Thursday.“There are about 1,500 people and 200 units of military equipment involved in the exercises,” the source said.
Other military drills are currently underway in Pskov Region in Russia's northeast. The exercises in Pskov involve some 2,000 troops and 500 units of military equipment.
Russian Defense Ministry officials repeatedly stated that in recent years Russia has been holding significantly more military exercises than in the 1990s or the 2000s. This in part has been caused by increased NATO military activities close to Russia's borders.
The Russian Defense Ministry said in December that Russia planned to carry out at least 4,000 drills in 2015.
Source: http://sputniknews.com/russia/20150226/1018775269.html
Russia is sending a clear message to the Baltic States.
The issue is Russia sending this message in a wide variety of areas. Of course they're not going to telegraph where they will attack next.
In this article, there was an airborne exercise is held in Pskov, near the Estonian border and along the main road into Latvia, also. That is supposed to be a strategic message but the military analyst in me says this is a big fail by Russia.
If we look at the Russian troops used in Donbas, we will see that only Airborne and Spetsnaz troops were even minimally effective as combat infantry, and even then we see they moved with incredible lack of speed. Russian airborne troops can only be compared to ordinary infantry soldiers in the West. Jumping in with parachutes puts them in a unique position on the battlefield but leaves them exposed and not in touch with supplies. I don't believe the Russians know how to properly use paratroopers, it's been 70 years since they've been employed as such. I spent a bunch of years in the 82nd Airborne Division, including on the Division staff, so I know. I also spent one incredible year in one of the battalions and we were highly proficient at combat operations after many, many rehearsals.
From the picture used by Sputnik, those paratroopers had no weapons, no equipment and were for show only. What a waste of a good propaganda opportunity, Igor.
Perhaps the message Russia is sending is 'we're here, we need a lot of practice but we're supposed to be sending a strategic message. But if anyone really looks at us, we fail.'
#RussiaFail
Russians Defense Ministry launched military drills with around 1,500 people and 200 units of military equipment taking part in the exercises.
Approximately 1,500 paratroopers are participating in military exercises in the Kostroma region in Central Russia, a Russian Defense Ministry source said Thursday.“There are about 1,500 people and 200 units of military equipment involved in the exercises,” the source said.
Other military drills are currently underway in Pskov Region in Russia's northeast. The exercises in Pskov involve some 2,000 troops and 500 units of military equipment.
Russian Defense Ministry officials repeatedly stated that in recent years Russia has been holding significantly more military exercises than in the 1990s or the 2000s. This in part has been caused by increased NATO military activities close to Russia's borders.
The Russian Defense Ministry said in December that Russia planned to carry out at least 4,000 drills in 2015.
Source: http://sputniknews.com/russia/20150226/1018775269.html
No hay comentarios:
Publicar un comentario