The Russia Blog
Pavel Felgenhauer’s regular Defense Dossier column wasn’t published in the Moscow Times this week. By the looks of things, his views on the Nalchik raid were considered unacceptable to the editor, who rejected it.
Felgenhauer sees conspiracy, both in Nalchik, and at the Moscow Times, and has sent his version of events to Johnson’s… Read the rest
For China and India to become involved in a joint military exercise with Russia is a pretty far-fetched idea at the moment, I’d say,, but Russian Defence Minister Sergei Ivanov, in India to observe a joint Russian-Indian military exercise, has been busy talking up the idea.
Russian-Indian-Chinese military exercises could be held in the future
Last week I wrote about the disgraceful number of closed cities in Russia, another of those leftovers from an anarchic age that Russia remains addicted to, despite (or perhaps because of) the restrictions it places on the human rights of their 1.7 million residents.
In a rather timely decision, the BBC have just… Read the rest
Hot on the heels of Russia’s recent military exercise with China (see here for details) 1,600 Russian troops, 9 airplanes and 5 warships are taking part in a military exercise with India.
The exercise, which will run for 10 days from October 10th, is based around a counter terrorism scenario, says Indian newspaper… Read the rest
President Putin has been playing at being a fly-boy:
President Vladimir Putin, sitting in the pilot’s seat, broke the sound barrier Tuesday as he flew in a long-range bomber to a Northern Fleet outpost to attend a war game similar to one that embarrassed the armed forces last year.
After
A joint Chinese-Russian military exercise is underway in the Russian Far East, the first between the two countries. 10,000 personnel are involved in an operation that is said to be one of humanitarian assistance:
[T]he scenario for these exercises – aid to a state suffering political violence – isn’t aimed against
As I mentioned at the tail-end of yesterday’s post (here), the Russian Priz mini submarine stranded on the floor of the Pacific Ocean has been rescued. All seven crewmembers are reported to be in good condition. They’ll still need to undergo medical examiniation but, judging by this picture, they were fit enough to walk… Read the rest
A Russian mini-submarine with a full complement of seven sailors remains trapped on the floor of the Pacific ocean for a second day. The Russian Navy has reportedly begun its rescue mission, attaching cables to the submarine in an attempt to either lift it and/or tug it to shallower waters. Interfax reports that
Russian Navy Sinks Flagship With Parade Mine:
The Neukrotimy (“Indomitable”) arrived in St. Petersburg for celebrations to mark Russian Navy Day on July 26. On July 30, it suddenly submerged below its waterline, collecting water in its engine compartment, the Itar-Tass news agency reported.
[Kommersant] said that the sailors planned to
Despite an international arms embargo affecting both government and rebel forces, it appears that military equipment from the Former Soviet Union is still managing to make its way into the Ivory Coast, the Telegraph reports:
Gen Fall, who commands 6,000 troops, said there was evidence to suggest that
No sooner do I finish posting the last entry (HIV abuses in Russia’s Medical System) than I come across this Moscow Times article about Russian Army concerns about the high level of draftees that are being rejected for military service on the grounds of HIV.
When Deputy Prime Minister
Intel Dump has a post about US basing strategy which, as part of its argument repeats a claim that the US base in Manas, Kyrgyzstan, contributes so heavily to the local economy that it is worth around 5% of Kyrgyzstan’s GDP – a number that seems suspiciously high to me.
The original article –
Remember how someone threw a hand grenade at George Bush during his recent visit to Georgia? Well, now the Georgian authorities look to have found the culprit and, according to Mosnews, he might be Russian. The police currently have two theories, Mosnews reports, and:
According to the second theory, the
eDefenseonline takes a look at how European forces are developing, or in Russia’s case, not developing 21st century infantry programmes to fight in the low-level conflicts prevalent today.
Despite 25 years of real combat experience in low-intensity conflicts in Afghanistan and Chechnya, the Russian MoD focus is on strategic force
Pavel Felgenhauer’s always excellent defense column in the Moscow Times notes that the army is dissatisfied with Russia’s government:
Last week, newspapers discussed the results of secret opinion polls made by the Defense Ministry and leaked to the press. The Kremlin is deeply unpopular among military men, and only 20
Continuing protests in southern Kyrgyzstan are giving rise to speculation that Russia might intervene militarily. Democracy Guy and Registan.net both correctly say, however, that the Russian military isn’t capable of an unwanted intervention (read: invasion), and the geo-political ramifications would be immense – certainly far more than the Kremlin wants to deal with… Read the rest
