What with Russian missiles being fired at, and landing in, Georgia (for what reason we are still to be told) and his aggressive cosying-up to that maniac of an Iranian president 'ArmouredDinnerJacket', one has to wonder where all this might be leading. Russia has, in its current oil and gas reserves, more money than God; and it's making little secret about where it wants to spend it.



Vladimir Putin rearms his Cold War military

By Gethin Chamberlain, Tim Shipman and Nick Holdsworth in Moscow, Sunday Telegraph
Last Updated: 12:45am BST 19/08/2007

In a hangar at an airfield 24 miles south east of Moscow, technicians were yesterday checking over the latest additions to the burgeoning military arsenal which a resurgent Russia hopes can restore its status as a major world power.

The MiG-35 and MiG-29 fighters which Russia plans to showcase at this week's -Moscow international air show are just a small part of a £100 billion plan to return the Russian military to the heights of its Cold War might.


Russia's planned military might

On Friday President Vladimir Putin caused consternation by announcing the resumption of regular, long-range nuclear bomber patrols, but there is more to come; Russia is planning to double combat aircraft production by 2025 with more nuclear missiles, aircraft carriers and tanks at the top of Moscow's shopping list.

The message to the West is clear: the days of being able to dismiss Russia as a spent force are over. Bolstered by the cash from sales of oil and gas and President Putin's steely determination to re-establish the country on the world stage, the Russian -military machine is back in business.

Various theories have been put forward for the dramatic military expansion, not least the need to appeal to nationalists in the run-up to forthcoming parliamentary and presidential elections. The real reason, however, appears to be that Russia has taken offence at what it regards as the West's insulting indifference to its very existence.

Intelligence sources say Washington and London have been taken aback by just how seriously Russia has viewed the perceived slight and admit that in concentrating so heavily on Iraq and al-Qaeda, they took their eyes off the ball.
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"They were slow to see that these people are still players," said a former White House staffer, who served both Ronald Reagan and George Bush. "My great fear is that I wake up one day soon to discover that we lost the Cold War, or rather that like everything else, we won the war and then lost the peace."

A source close to the US Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice, who cut her teeth in government as a Kremlinologist in the Eighties, said that Middle East issues had diverted her attention from a more rigorous engagement with Moscow.

"She wants to spend more time on Russia but that hasn't always been possible. She said to me that she regrets the fact that she has not done enough on what is, after all, her major area of expertise."

The carefully-staged pictures of the president stripped to the waist and striking various manly poses on holiday in Siberia last week are not the only Russian muscle-flexing that has been going on in recent months.

While Russia's submariners have managed to upset even the mild-mannered Norwegians and Canadians by planting a flag under the Arctic ice, its long range TU-95 Bear bombers have rattled America's cage by buzzing its US naval base on the island of Guam in the western Pacific. The Georgians are furious after a Russian missile landed on the outskirts of a village near Tbilisi and a series of war games in Russia's southern Ural Mountains featuring some 6,500 troops from Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan sparked Western concern over the emergence of a new Warsaw Pact.

The alarm may have sounded too late, however, according to Matthew Clements, Eurasia editor of Jane's Country Risk. "I think what has not been seen is the way Russia perceives itself as a new, great power, and how it feels it has not been taken as seriously as it should be," he said.


President Vladimir Putin observes naval exercises near Severomorsk

The latest developments have exacerbated an already tense situation. Russia has responded angrily to US plans to station an anti-missile system in the Czech republic and Poland by threatening to site its own missiles in Kaliningrad to counter the threat. Earlier this summer Mr Putin upped the ante by threatening to target US strategic nuclear sites in Europe. Tensions with Britain over the murder of former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko have prompted tit-for-tat expulsions of diplomats, while on Friday the BBC's World Service was thrown off Russian FM radio.

The Foreign Office last week refused to be drawn on its attitude towards Russia's newly-assertive attitude, other than to observe that "we are not alarmed".

But perhaps the only positive that Britain can draw from Russia's military resurgence is that its new Typhoon fighter aircraft, purchased at about £20 billion to counter a Cold War threat, might finally have found a worthy adversary.

Eight years ago, when -President Putin first came to power, the Russian military was in meltdown. The Russian army was crippled by low morale, the navy was rusting away and the air force was at half its Cold War strength.

But no longer. Russian defence spending rose by 22 per cent and 27 per cent in the past two years and could be up as much as 30 per cent this year. In February, Sergei Ivanov, then defence secretary and now one of the front-runners to replace Mr Putin next year, announced a £100 billion programme of expenditure. According to Jane's Sentinel Country Risk Assessments, the Russian shopping list includes two new submarine-launched nuclear ballistic missiles, the Bulava and the Sineva, both with a 5,000 mile range and capable of carrying 10 nuclear warheads, and a new anti-aircraft missile, the S-400, which the Russian ministry of defence claims is effective against incoming missiles.

It also plans to spend heavily on the new TU-160 strategic bomber, which can launch cruise missiles, the SU-34 "Fullback" fighter-bomber capable of all-weather attacks on heavily defended targets and a new fifth-generation fighter, the Sukhoi T-50, which is expected to come into service in 2008 as Russia's main lightweight front-line fighter. The expanded Russian fleet will include six new nuclear powered aircraft carriers, it has just one at present, and eight ballistic missile submarines. Alex Pravda, a Russia expert at London's Chatham House foreign policy think tank, said the new aggressive approach was typical Putin.

"He believes in fighting for your place in the sun and has said that nobody appreciates weakness. They are not looking for the imperial reach of the Soviet era. What they want is an international presence."

But with Mr Putin unable to stand for a third term, his former defence secretary Sergei Ivanov is well-placed to benefit from domestic approval of the tough new stance when Russians go to the polls next March.

Whoever succeeds Mr Putin, the West is likely to have to accept that the balance of power has changed. As Mr Putin said when he announced the resumption of strategic bomber patrols: "Combat duty has begun."

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"Those who forget the past are condemned to repeat its mistakes..."

I see on Sky News that the 2 RAF Tornadoes intercepted and turned back a Bear in British airspace earlier today.

Faugh-a-ballagh

I see on Sky News that the 2 RAF Tornadoes intercepted and turned back a Bear in British airspace earlier today.

Faugh-a-ballagh

OC. you can say that again. regards ferret

A Russian BEAR was intercepted over Guam and there have been two Intercepts of Russian BEAR Bombers over Alaska.

Russia is just showing that a Missle defense system in their back yard would not stop them from being able to reach targets with bombers and drop their bombs if they desired.

Similarly the Russians wanting military training with North Korean and Chinese Military is just to show that if you want to play in their back yard ,they are prepared to play with others in the region and develop an alliance that many would not really want to see.

British jets scramble to track Russian bombers

By Thomas Harding, Defence Correspondent
Last Updated: 2:21am BST 22/08/2007

Eurofighter Typhoon jets scrambled for the first time to intercept Russian nuclear bombers approaching British air space, the Ministry of Defence said yesterday.


Eurofighters intercept the Russian bomber

As relations between Russia and Britain deteriorate, the number of incidents in which Russia's submarines have been found close to British shores or in contact with Royal Navy warships has also risen.

The Tu-95 Bear nuclear bombers were detected over the Atlantic on Friday, the RAF said yesterday.

Tornado F3 fighters and two Typhoons were scrambled from RAF Leuchars in Scotland.

The incident comes as part of continued Russian sabre-rattling by President Vladimir Putin. In two incidents this summer Russian Tu-95 nuclear bombers were spotted heading towards British air space off Scotland and over the US-held territory of Guam.

There is a suggestion that Russia could be testing the West's air detection systems and response times.

Officers at the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, a secret scientific establishment, said diesel electric submarines were believed to have been spotted close to British shores.

With more than 90 per cent of Britain's trade travelling by sea the country's economy would be extremely vulnerable to the submarines, which are hard to detect.

Lt-Cdr Robin Burns, an analyst from the laboratory, said: "Just one torpedo will do an awful amount of damage to our shipping and economy."

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"Those who forget the past are condemned to repeat its mistakes..."

Putin's posturing can't hide Russia's weakness

By David Blair
Last Updated: 1:04am BST 23/08/2007

Analysis

Russia's nuclear bombers are permanently airborne once again and President Vladimir Putin loses no opportunity to strut the world stage and flex his country's muscles.

Yet all the sound and fury disguises one essential fact: far from being a rising power like China or India, Russia is locked in long-term decline. At present, high oil prices give Russia's economy a temporary lift - and afford Mr Putin the cash to display his military prowess.

But demographics underlie every dimension of national power. Mr Putin cannot avoid the fact that Russia's population falls by about 800,000 people every year.

Instead of the present level of 142 million, Russia will probably have fewer than 100 million people by 2050 and vast swathes of the country will be depopulated.

Nations with a real chance of shaping events in the late 21st century do not have falling populations. National decline is virtually guaranteed by low life expectancy, alcohol abuse and the remarkable fact that Russian women experience more abortions than live births.

Power in the 21st century will divide between America's 300 million people, the European Union's 460 million and China and India with more than a billion each. Against this background, Russia looks insignificant.

Mr Putin's second Achilles Heel is the Russian economy. Its dependence on oil and natural gas is a blessing when, as now, prices are high. If prices fall or a long period of volatility begins, Mr Putin will quickly feel the pinch.

The uncomfortable fact is that Russia is not a centre of innovation. There are no world class Russian manufacturing companies, no universities churning out new inventions.

Instead, the economy is largely resource-dependent and rises or falls with global energy prices. In other words, Mr Putin has virtually no control over Russia's economic destiny. The vagaries of the world energy market will decide how belligerent he can afford to be.

Hence Russia's gross national product is only about £800 billion. Britain, with less than half its population, has one worth £1.3 trillion.

While every rattle of Mr Putin's sabre raises new memories of the Cold War, today's military situation does not compare with the era of the Iron Curtain.

In those days, Central Europe was a Russian fiefdom and the Kremlin deployed 18 armoured divisions in the old East Germany, projecting its military power to the geographical centre of Europe.

Today, by contrast, the satellite states are independent. Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania, once republics of the Soviet Union, are members of both the EU and Nato.

Nato's eastern border is now a short drive from St Petersburg. These fundamental realities betray Russia's essential weakness - which Mr Putin is doing his utmost to mask.

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"Those who forget the past are condemned to repeat its mistakes..."

I agree with Jim's take on things. Russia wants to be taken seriously and does not want a new cold war but they are being pushed into a corner by the short-sighted policies of the USA and UK.
When the Cold War ended the USSR stopped it's flights into Nato air defences, however, Nato did not reciprocate and to this day still test Russian air defence. Hardly the actions of friends!

The hype about the missile in Georgia is also crazy. Georgia has been harbouring Chechen terrorists who use it as a base for attacks for years. These terrorists despise the West, some even fight us in Afghanistan and Iraq and yet we suck up to them.

Nato has consistently expanded and has acted against international laws and conventions. It is pushing up against Russian territoty. No wonder the Russians are wary. Historically, part from the Golden Horde, Russia's threats have come from the west and this is in their mindset. Most Russians thought that with democracy, would come friendship. They are becoming disillusioned.

It is possible that the Shanghai Treaty members may expand in the next few months. One of those considering joining is Iran. If they join they will probably push for the organisation to become more like a Nato treaty organisation. Russia has not wanted that but her space in the corner is diminishing.

Forget about Russian tank forces moving westward. They are not strong enough for that (they are modernising their tank forces possibly with the T-95 or the Black Eagle [Chiorny Oriole]). They have admitted their conventional weakness and said that if attacked they will use non-conventional weapons. The possibility of a dreadful mistake has increased since the end of the Cold War. Sadly, the USA along with the ever-assenting UK has been responsible.

Meanwhile more Russians are calling for a change in the Constitution to allow a third succesive term.

The third Term cry by Putin supporters,another reason we see the Show of strength of the Russians and another reason we have the published pictures of a strong shirtless outdoorsman.
Putin hicking,hunting ,fishing and enjoying the outdoors in his military trousers and boots,his survival knife and his KGB shades,lol.
He is not ready to go yet and he does not want to go.

Yes, he is playing up to the Russian mindset which prefers a strong leader, regardless of whether they be good or ill.

Russian army 'tests the father of all bombs'

By Adrian Blomfield in Moscow
Last Updated: 8:31am BST 12/09/2007

Russia has delivered a belligerent message of defiance to the West after army generals claimed to have tested "the father of all bombs".

Developed in secret, the unchristened bomb, a vacuum device capable of emitting shockwaves as powerful as a nuclear weapon, was unveiled with great theatre on state television's main evening broadcast.


A mushroom cloud rises over a plain as Russia’s military test their latest weapon

Boasting that the weapon had "no match in the world," ORT First Channel television showed a Tupolev Tu-160 strategic bomber dropping its payload over a testing ground, followed by a massive explosion.

Pictures of what appeared to be crumpled multi-storey apartment blocks were also broadcast.



Although there was no independent verification of the Russian military's claim, the test is likely to cause further consternation in the West after a series of bellicose statements by the president, Vladimir Putin.

According to Russian generals, the bomb is four times more powerful than the American Massive Ordnance Air Blast Bomb or MOAB.

Better known as the Mother of All Bombs, the MOAB is a descendent of the BLU-82 Daisy cutter used in Tora Bora during the war against the Taliban in 2001.

Although it has never been used, the US military says the MOAB is capable of destroying nine city blocks in one strike.

According to Gen Alexander Rushkin, the Russian deputy chief of staff, the new bomb is smaller than the MOAB but much deadlier because, due to nanotechnology, the temperature at the epicentre of the blast is twice as high.

"Test results of the new airborne weapon have shown that its efficiency and power is commensurate with a nuclear weapon," he said.

"The main destruction is inflicted by an ultrasonic shockwave and an incredibly high temperature," ORT added.

"All that is alive merely evaporates."

Despite its destructive qualities, the bomb is environmentally friendly, Gen Rushkin said.

The test comes after weeks of increasingly belligerent rhetoric from the Kremlin.

Mr Putin has ordered his long-range nuclear bombers to mount patrols in international airspace for the first time since the Cold War.

Last week, Russian Tupolev bombers approached British airspace for the fourth time in two months and sorties have also been flown close to US military installations.

Since Mr Putin, an ex-KGB officer, came to power, Russia's annual defence spending has been quadrupled.

In addition, the Kremlin has announced a £100 billion military modernisation programme.

The new bomb is further proof that Russia's military has regained its technological edge. New ground and sea launched nuclear missiles have also been developed.

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"Those who forget the past are condemned to repeat its mistakes..."

Again this is the Russians showing that they are still capable of launching bombers and that they now have a near Nuclear capable device that is Deliverable no matter if there is a defensive shield built by the US near Russian soil ,or not.

Putin does not want to be overlooked,he wants Russia to be part of Talks and things that take place in their region.