Russia Is In War Mode
The RAF has intercepted Russian military aircraft as they neared UK airspace for the second time in the past week. This incident follows Norwegian interception of two Russian bombers last Wednesday.
The Baltic countries are also witnessing a dramatic increase in Russian military violations of NATO air space in which the Russians appear to be testing their ability to penetrate the NATO’s air defenses.
Even the number of times that Japanese fighter jets have been forced to scramble to intercept Russian military aircraft has more than doubled in the last six months, amid the escalating diplomatic tensions between Japan and Russia.
Russia has even violated American airspace in Alaska with multiple air incursionS designed to test and discover the sophistications of America’s ability to detect and intercept Russian fighters and nuclear bombers.
Coupled with the air incursions, Putin has the Russian economy in war mode. He even has the Russian military prepared to militarily seize the “resource rich” Arctic.
Conclusion
Putin has warned that “I want to remind you that Russia is one of the most powerful nuclear nations,” Putin said. “This is a reality, not just words.”The United States would be wise to prepare in kind. Is anyone else concerned that our first and last line of defense is Barack “let’s play nine” Obama?
The following are excerpts of Putin’s speech delivered at the Valdai conference in Sochi, just a few days ago. The speech was directed at Western elites.
“Russia will no longer play games with the United States and engage in back-room negotiations… Russia is prepared for serious agreements, but only if these agreements are conducive to collective security… All systems of global collective security now lie in ruins. There are no longer any international security guarantees at all and the party responsible for the destruction of global collective security is The United States of America…
…The builders of the New World Order have failed by having built a sand castle…Russia favors a conservative approach to introducing innovations into the social order, but is not opposed to investigating and discussing such innovations, to see if introducing any of them might be justified…
…Russia has no intention of building an empire of their own, but will not go fishing in the murky waters created by America’s ever-expanding “empire of chaos…
…Russia’s challenges lie in developing her already vast territory)…Russia will not attempt to reformat the world in her own image, but neither will she allow anyone to reformat her in their image. Russia will not close herself off from the world, but anyone who tries to close her off from the world will be sure to reap a whirlwind. Neither is Russia willing to act as a savior of the world, as she has in the past…
…Russia does not wish for the chaos to spread, does not want war, and has no intention of starting one. However, today Russia sees the outbreak of global war as almost inevitable, is prepared for it, and is continuing to prepare for it. Russia does not war, nor does she fear it…
…Russia does not intend to take an active role in thwarting those who are still attempting to construct their New World Order, However, Russia will oppose their efforts if they begin to impinge on Russia’s key interests. Russia would prefer to stand by and watch them give themselves as many lumps as their poor heads can take. But those who manage to drag Russia into this process, through disregard for her interests, will be taught the true meaning of pain…
…Russia’s will rely not on the elites to set the tone for the future, and these decisions will result from the will of the people…”
While negotiations on a compromise on Iran's nuclear projects proceed apace between Washington and Tehran, the Iranians have bellicoselydeclared that the US must “get out” of the Persian Gulf. The area is Iran's “strategic waters,” and the US does not belong there, Iran said.
American and international naval forces are currently conducting a hugeexercise in the Gulf and Red Sea. Navies from 44 countries, consisting of 6,500 personnel and 38 warships taking part in a U.S.-led mine countermeasures exercise that has avoided Iranian territorial waters. Theexercise is meant as a show of strength, said 5th Feet Commander Vice. Adm. John Miller. “The tremendous number of nations participating in thisexercise sends a clear signal that threats to global commerce will not be tolerated."
However, Iran said that it would no longer tolerate American forays into the Gulf. According to Iranian Navy chief Rear Admiral Ali Fadavi, who stated that "The destruction of US naval forces is among the objectives [pursued by] the Iranian Navy.” He said that Iran was conducting its ownexercises, “simulating this (mission) on a replica aircraft carrier because destroying and drowning American warships have been and will remain on our program."
“We unveiled the Hout [supercavitation] torpedo, which is a missile exclusively manufactured by Russians, during Great Prophet Maneuver I [in 2006]. This missile can travel underwater at the speed of 100 meters per second,” he said, adding that Iran would not hesitate to use it against any threat.”
The US Navy's Fifth Fleet, with about 5,000 servicemen, is based in Bahrain’s territorial waters in the Persian Gulf.
American and international naval forces are currently conducting a hugeexercise in the Gulf and Red Sea. Navies from 44 countries, consisting of 6,500 personnel and 38 warships taking part in a U.S.-led mine countermeasures exercise that has avoided Iranian territorial waters. Theexercise is meant as a show of strength, said 5th Feet Commander Vice. Adm. John Miller. “The tremendous number of nations participating in thisexercise sends a clear signal that threats to global commerce will not be tolerated."
However, Iran said that it would no longer tolerate American forays into the Gulf. According to Iranian Navy chief Rear Admiral Ali Fadavi, who stated that "The destruction of US naval forces is among the objectives [pursued by] the Iranian Navy.” He said that Iran was conducting its ownexercises, “simulating this (mission) on a replica aircraft carrier because destroying and drowning American warships have been and will remain on our program."
“We unveiled the Hout [supercavitation] torpedo, which is a missile exclusively manufactured by Russians, during Great Prophet Maneuver I [in 2006]. This missile can travel underwater at the speed of 100 meters per second,” he said, adding that Iran would not hesitate to use it against any threat.”
The US Navy's Fifth Fleet, with about 5,000 servicemen, is based in Bahrain’s territorial waters in the Persian Gulf.
In eastern Ukraine, the frozen conflict between Russian troops and Moscow-backed separatists and forces loyal to Kiev is about to thaw.
Pro-Russian separatists in the self-proclaimed breakaway Republics of Lugansk and Donetsktook to the polls on Sunday to vote in controversial elections to determine their leadership. The West has refused to recognize the results of these elections and has called on Moscow to do the same – calls which were met by massive flood of Russian bombers flying near NATO airspace in maneuvers some believe were designed to simulate a nuclear attack.
Russia, which supports the rebels but denies fighting on their side, says it will recognize the results of the elections. The United States and European capitals, which have imposed heavy economic sanctions on Russia, back Kiev in condemning the polls as illegal.
Both self-declared republics were choosing new presidents and parliaments, but there was little question that the current unelected rebel chiefs — Alexander Zakharchenko in Donetsk and Igor Plotnitsky in Lugansk — would be confirmed in their posts.
No international election monitors were present for the vote, and no minimum turnout has been set by the organizers, reflecting the uncertainty over how many voters could turn out.
Shortly after Ukrainian separatists began voting, reports began to flood social media which purported to show Russian troops crossing the Ukrainian border.
In Donetsk, the main rebel-held city in Ukraine’s industrial south-east, AFP reporters saw about 20 trucks, some carrying anti-aircraft guns, heading towards the government-held airport, although it was not clear whether these were new forces.
Several Western news outlets reported witnessing heavy movement of troops near Donetsk.
Among them, reporters for the news sites buzzfeed.com and mashable.com tweeted that they had seen a large military column. Buzzfeed’s Max Seddon wrote: “31 unmarked Kamazes (military trucks) just drove past towards Donetsk. Anti-aircraft weapons, ammunition boxes, radar systems, a bus of gunmen.”
A ceasefire which commenced on September 5 by both separatists and Ukrainian force froze the conflict in Ukraine in place, but the fighting never truly ended. As winter nears, fighting has again begun to flare.
“Despite the cease-fire in eastern Ukraine, acts of indiscriminate shelling and security incidents continue to put civilians at risk,” read a statement recently released by the International Red Cross. “The approaching winter makes the situation of both residents and displaced people even more difficult.”
“Six government soldiers were killed and 10 were wounded by rebel fire in the Donetsk and Lugansk regions in the past 24 hours,” Bloomberg reported on Saturday, citing Ukrainian military sources. “The United Nations estimates total deaths in the conflict at more than 4,000, with 1 million people displaced.”
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