Russia loading a strategic missile In the Orenburg region

Russia loading a strategic missile In the Orenburg region

    Saturday, November 19, 2022   No comments

Russia's armed forces just loaded a strategic missile and released the following explanatory note:

In the Orenburg region, work continues on the re-equipment of the Yasnensky formation of the Strategic Missile Forces with the Avangard silo-based missile system

▫️ The infrastructure of the positional area for putting the next missile regiment on combat duty, which includes, in addition to the facilities of the combat launch complex itself, places for preparing duty shifts, carrying out combat duty and resting personnel, has been prepared.

▫️ The rocket is currently being loaded into the silo launcher.

The implementation of the measures planned for 2022 for the rearmament of the Strategic Missile Forces will increase the combat capabilities of the ground component of the strategic nuclear forces in fulfilling the tasks of strategic deterrence.

 

Zelensky for the Group of Twenty: Poland hit a "message" from Moscow to you; Biden: The explosion in Poland was caused by a Ukrainian missile

Zelensky for the Group of Twenty: Poland hit a "message" from Moscow to you; Biden: The explosion in Poland was caused by a Ukrainian missile

    Wednesday, November 16, 2022   No comments

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy considered today, in a speech broadcast via video to the leaders of the Group of Twenty meeting on the Indonesian island of Bali, that the missile strike in Poland “is nothing but a message from Russia to the G20 summit.”

Zelensky also warned them of the existence of "a terrorist state among you, against which we have to defend ourselves," as he put it, referring to Russia.

 This comes while the Polish army is still on high alert today, after a missile landed in a village in the southeast of the country near the border with Ukraine. While statements and meetings rush to understand the details of the incident, it seems that there is a strong possibility that Russia is not the source of the launch of this missile, which is most likely “Russian-made.”

Biden contradicts Zelenskiy

 Today, a source in NATO told Reuters that US President Joe Biden informed the Group of Seven and NATO partners that the explosion in Poland was caused by a missile fired by Ukrainian air defense.

In turn, the Belgian Minister of Defense, Ludivine Dedondre, said today that the explosion that killed two people in eastern Poland was "the result of Ukrainian anti-aircraft defense systems used to intercept Russian missiles."

 And the minister added, in a statement, that “the investigations are continuing, and there is currently no indication that it was a deliberate attack,” noting that Ukraine had previously accused Russia of targeting Polish territory with a missile strike.

 Immediately after the attack, Poland discussed the need to activate Article 4 of the NATO Charter. The call was resisted by NATO members and Russia saw it as a premeditated provocation intended to justify an attack on Russia.

France called for caution when making accusations about the source of the Poland missile.

France called for "extreme caution" about the source of the missile that fell in Poland, especially since "several countries" in the region possess the same type of weapon, warning of a "great risk of escalation."

And the French presidency said: "Given the stakes, it is logical that we deal with the issue with the utmost caution," noting that there are "great risks of escalation in the region."

One of the French president's advisors pointed out that "a lot of equipment and weapons" are concentrated in and around Ukraine, adding that "a large number of countries possess the same type of weapons, and therefore determining the type of missile does not necessarily mean determining who launched it."

Erdogan: I am sure Russia did not fire a missile at Poland

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan confirmed today, Wednesday, that he trusts Russian statements regarding its denial of involvement in the Poland incident.

On Tuesday evening, the Russian Ministry of Defense denied the news that a Russian missile had fallen on Poland, stressing that it aims to provoke a "deliberate provocation with the aim of escalation."

 Erdogan called, during a press conference on the sidelines of the G-20 summit, for "a detailed investigation into the fall of missiles on a village in Poland," adding that "the insistence that the missiles fired at Poland are Russian-made is nothing but a provocation."

 Medvedev: The West is approaching a world war

Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said today, Wednesday, that the alleged missile attack on Polish soil shows that the West is approaching another world war.

 Medvedev wrote on Twitter, "The incident of the missile strike on a Polish farm proves only one thing: waging war by all means against Russia, and the West is approaching a world war."

 Yesterday, Tuesday, the Russian Ministry of Defense confirmed that it had not directed strikes against targets near the Ukrainian-Polish border, noting that "talk about Russian missiles falling in Poland is a deliberate provocation aimed at escalating the conflict."

 Zelenskiy's rush to push for the invocation of NATO's Art. 4 and 5, if proven to be planned would anger NATO members and undercut his credibility. Worse, for him, should that be the case, and should an actual attack by Russia on other NATO members, world leaders would be more cautious and perhaps suspect Ukraine before they accuse Russia. Call it the boy who cried wolf effect.

Immediately after two people were killed by a missile in Polish territory, heading pressure from Zelenskiy whose country is not a NATO member, the Polish government announced that it would consider whether it would need to activate Article 4 of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), which calls for emergency consultations in the event of a threat to a member state.

And in the event that it is decided that Moscow is responsible for the explosion, this may lead to the launch of the principle of collective defense of NATO known as “Article 5”, as an attack on a member of the Western alliance is considered an attack on everyone.

NATO Secretary-General, Jens Stoltenberg, said that the alliance is closely evaluating the situation in Poland and is awaiting clarity of data and data.

 What are Articles 4 and 5 of the NATO Charter... and what are they related to the Poland explosion?

The NATO Charter, "Article 4" differs from "Article 5", as the latter specifies military assistance by the entire alliance in the event of an attack on one of the member states.

 Article 4 of the NATO Treaty gives the right to any member state of the alliance that feels threatened by another country or a terrorist organization, to submit a request for the thirty member states to start formal consultations to decide whether the threat exists and how to confront it, while reaching unanimous decisions.

 Under this article, the parties are to consult together, at the request of any of the member states, about the territorial integrity, political independence, or security of any of the allied states.

 Article 5 is the cornerstone of the founding treaty of NATO, created in 1949 with the US military as its mainstay of strength primarily to counter the Soviet Union and its satellites in the Eastern Bloc during the Cold War.

 The Charter states that NATO members agree that an armed attack against one or more of them "shall be regarded as an attack against all of them."

 In the event of such an attack, each NATO member would assist the attacked country in whatever action it "deems necessary". This could include the use of armed force with the aim of restoring and maintaining security in the North Atlantic region.

 

The Kremlin: Russian-American talks took place in Ankara at the request of Washington

The Kremlin: Russian-American talks took place in Ankara at the request of Washington

    Monday, November 14, 2022   No comments

Today, Monday, the official spokesman for the Russian presidency, Dmitry Peskov, stated that Russian-American negotiations were taking place in Ankara today, at the initiative of the American side, stressing that their content had not been revealed.

And Turkish media indicated that the director of Russian foreign intelligence, Sergei Naryshkin, held a meeting with the director of the CIA, William Burns, in Ankara regarding the use of nuclear weapons.

Burns told the head of Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service a message about "the consequences of Russia's use of nuclear weapons, and the risk of escalation for strategic stability," according to the White House National Security Council.

The same source stated that Burns "does not conduct any kind of negotiations, nor does he discuss a settlement for the war in Ukraine," indicating that the Ukrainians were informed in advance of the meeting.

The meeting between Burns and Naryshkin is one of the rare meetings at this level between the two countries since the start of the Russian military operation. Washington and Moscow maintained "communication channels" between them, especially through the US embassy in the Russian capital, to discuss bilateral issues and exchange messages about developments in Ukraine, despite the escalating tension between them.

A few days ago, the American Wall Street Journal reported that US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan held secret talks with senior aides to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Meanwhile, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko denied, earlier, that his country had previously held negotiations with the United States regarding Ukraine, commenting that "Kyiv has adopted a law that prevents it from conducting peaceful negotiations with Moscow."

Why did Russian leaders Order Troops Withdrawal from Kherson City?

Why did Russian leaders Order Troops Withdrawal from Kherson City?

    Thursday, November 10, 2022   No comments

 Although the recent announcement that Russian forces will be pulling out of parts of Kherson region, mainly parts of the Oblast on the right-side banks of the Dnipro River, the move could signal a strategic adjustment. The justifications and explanations by military generals who developed the plan and those involved indirectly may shed some light about their thinking that could determine the military map of Ukraine for months or perhaps years to come.

 

1. Surovikin reports to Shoigu:

 ▪️ The situation in the area of   the special operation has been generally stabilized, the combat capabilities of the joint group and forces have increased significantly, the combat strength has been increased at the expense of the mobilized, reserves have been created;

▪️ Russian troops have resumed offensive operations in certain areas;

▪️ Street fighting is underway on the eastern outskirts of Artemovsk;

▪️ And the situation in the Kherson direction: we successfully resist all enemy offensive attempts;

▪️ Our losses are 7-8 times less than those of the enemy;

▪️ In the area of the Vremevsky ledge, the units pushed the enemy back and occupied the dominant heights in the depths of his defense;

▪️ The city of Kherson and adjacent settlements cannot be supplied and function; and

▪️ Everyone in the Kherson region, and this is more than 115 thousand people, left the area of   hostilities.

 

2. Reactions from Russia:

2.1. Kadyrov, presdient of the Muslim-majority Chechen Republic, who is a strong supporter of the operation and whose troops are active in the war front put out this statement:

Kherson is a very difficult area without the possibility of a stable regular supply of ammunition and the formation of a strong, reliable rear. In this difficult situation, the general acted wisely and farsightedly - he evacuated the civilian population and ordered a regrouping.

there is no need to talk about the "surrender" of Kherson. "Surrender" together with the fighters.  Surovikin protects the soldier and takes a more advantageous strategic position - convenient, safe. Everyone knew from the very first days of the special operation that Kherson was a difficult combat territory. The soldiers of my units also reported that it was very difficult to fight in this area. Yes, it can be kept, it is possible to organize at least some supply of ammunition, but the cost will be numerous human lives.

I believe that Surovikin acted like a real military general, not afraid of criticism. Thank you, Vladimirovich, for taking care of the guys! And we will not stop hitting the enemy and we will not get tired.

 

2.2. The owner of PMC "Wagner", Prigozhin, who previously criticized the command of the Russian army for retreating from Liman, today supported the decision to leave Kherson. He said:

The decision to withdraw troops from the right bank of the Dnieper is not an easy one, but it speaks of the readiness of the command to take responsibility for the lives of soldiers. The withdrawal of troops with minimal losses is Surovikin’s achievement, which does not do honor to Russian weapons, but emphasizes the personal qualities of the commander, who acted like a man who is not afraid of responsibility.

3. Analysis:

The more likely strategic goals that motivated this move:

Russian leaders seem to now realize that Ukrainian military will not stop fighting and that the conflict is now hardened. It is a situation similar to the one in Syrian, which Russian military is very familiar: The two sides are determined to fight to the end, given the support of regional and world powers to opposing side, here Ukraine. Therefore, Russian leaders are building the infrastructure for a war that could last for 10 to 15 years. This means, they must use the geography to set long-term defensive positions, which will allow them to continue to degrade the capability of the other side using long distance weapons.

By moving troops across the Dnipro River, Russia may appear to have given up some territories. However, the move will free some troops and resources to regain territories on the left side of Iskil River in the northeast. The use of rivers and lakes as natural defensive lines, the Russian military will position itself for long conflict in which they must reduce the losses of human assets. The territory they lost in the south (1) will be replaced by territory in the east (2), mostly likely during  a spring offensive that will establish the two major rivers as a more defensible border in the long run.

The increased production of precision weapons and versatile drones fits in this long-term strategy, one which will cause more economic and military damage to the Ukrainian side, especially if the supply of weapons from the US and EU slows down or stops altogether.

How the Russian Federation is Relying on the Chechen Republic to Foster Stronger Relations with Muslim-Majority Countries

How the Russian Federation is Relying on the Chechen Republic to Foster Stronger Relations with Muslim-Majority Countries

    Wednesday, November 02, 2022   No comments

Russian large Muslim population has always played a bridging role between Muslims and the Russian State. With the rebranding of the Russian Federation as the new framework designed to keep Muslim-majority areas tethered to Russia, the Chechen Republic is now integrated into the Federation system to not necessarily play a role in foreign policy, but to showcase Russian Muslims’ role in Russia’s foreign policy. 

In this video release, the head of the Chechen republic, Ramzan Kadyrov, describes Grozny’s hosting of an important economic meeting between Iran and Russia.

Grozny hosted an important state event aimed at strengthening friendly, businesslike and mutually beneficial relations between Russia and the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Today, the Chechen Republic has become a kind of bridge connecting Russia and Iran, providing a platform for delegations to work in Grozny. The outcome of the 16th plenary session of the Permanent Russian-Iranian Intergovernmental Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation was the signing of documents on cooperation in various fields by the parties.

The agreements and agreements reached will have a fruitful impact on long-term relations between the two states. The Russian side, headed by Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Alexander Novak, is doing a great job in this direction.

Over the eight months of this year, the trade turnover between Russia and Iran increased by 36.4 percent and is approaching $4 billion. And this is far from the limit.

At the end of the meeting, I had the pleasure of talking at the dinner table with Alexander Novak and with the head of the Iranian delegation, Javad Ouji.

I was pleased to hear warm comments from our Iranian friends about the beauty of Grozny, about the good-natured and hospitable Chechen people. I'm glad they all liked it. For my part, I thanked the foreign delegation for coming to the Chechen Republic.

  

 

Erdogan presents the expected tidings to Europe at the gates of the winter crisis: We will distribute Russian gas to you through our Turkish lands

Erdogan presents the expected tidings to Europe at the gates of the winter crisis: We will distribute Russian gas to you through our Turkish lands

    Friday, October 28, 2022   No comments

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that Turkey will distribute natural gas coming from Russia to Europe through its territory through the “Turkish Stream” project.

In a speech during an introductory event for the "Turkey Century" campaign in the capital, Ankara, Erdogan indicated that this will be the result of talks with Moscow.

On the other hand, the President revealed that his government will soon start work on the Istanbul Canal project, and that it will thus save the Bosphorus Strait from environmental threats.

He referred to the discovery of 540 billion cubic meters of natural gas reserves in the Black Sea previously, adding: "God willing, we will soon share good news with our people in energy."

The “Turkish Stream” is two pipelines to transport gas from Russia to Turkey and Europe, passing through the Black Sea. The first pipeline feeds Turkey, and the second is eastern and southern European countries.

Erdogan stressed that one of the first goals of the “Turkey Century” vision is to give the country a new constitution that will be the product of the national will.

He said, "In the past twenty years, we have implemented historical monuments and services in all fields, from education to health, from justice to security, from transportation to energy, and from industry to agriculture, but there are also things that we have not been able to achieve despite our efforts."

He added: "Acquiring a new constitution for our country, the product of the national will, is one of the first goals of our vision, the century of Turkey. This new constitution will enhance the stability of the country, increase the prosperity of the people, enhance the rule of law, pluralism and justice, guarantee the freedoms of every citizen, and provide our young people with a hope for the future."

And he added: “We will raise the century of Turkey by meeting the aspirations of our young people in all fields from technology to art, and from sports to the environment. We will advance Turkey’s century by making our country one of the top ten countries in the world in all political, economic, technological, military and diplomatic fields.”

Erdogan indicated that “Turkey’s century” is the century of replacing identity politics with a politics of unity, polarization with integration, denial with embrace, domination with freedom, and hate with love.

He pointed out that "Turkey's Century" is the name of a new beginning for combining real actions with sincere acceptance, putting human values ​​before ideological fanaticism, giving preference to truth over fanaticism, and showing the truth to those who turn their backs on it.

He explained that the vision, spirit and philosophy of "Turkey's Century" means the Century of Sustainability, saying: "Based on this concept, we will strengthen an ecosystem that embraces life with all its elements. In parallel, we will move forward in our struggle to keep pace with the path of the world."

He stressed that "Turkey's century" will be the century of peace for the country, and that it will continue to work to achieve stability in its geographical region and the world, based on the concept of "the world is greater than five."

The Turkish president set a short-term goal for Turkey to reach a trillion dollars in foreign trade, and 100 billion dollars in tourism revenues.

He pointed out that they are moving forward in establishing and developing infrastructure facilities in order to transform Turkey into a global production and supply center whose necessity has been demonstrated during the Corona pandemic.

In this regard, President Erdogan announced raising the production capacity of electric energy from 31,846 megawatts to 101,518 megawatts.

According to Erdogan, successive Turkish governments have worked to increase the number of archaeological sites of the country included in the World Heritage List of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization "UNESCO", and increased the number of archaeological sites that have been restored from 46 to 5,781 sites.

In addition to the Istanbul Canal project, President Erdogan indicated that he will announce new projects in Turkey before the elections.

In light of the "Turkey Centenary" vision, Erdogan confirmed their goal of transforming Turkey into the most important and largest industrial and commercial country in the world, saying: "In the next stage, we will discuss the latest and most effective production strategies and implement them on the ground."

To achieve this goal, the Turkish President promised to continue supporting high-tech value-added industries, increasing direct production centers in order to expand the market and increase world opportunities.

He stressed the importance of science in the "centennial of Turkey", saying: "We are going through a stage in which we are looking for the impact of science and technological development on the future of humanity, and we plan to have a say in this field in the future, by supporting scientific research in the public and private sectors in order to achieve the well-being of our country and our citizens. “.

He added, "We will work to enter at least 10 Turkish universities in the global ranking of the first 500 universities in the world."