NATO will never invade Russia - McFaul

Source : http://m.rbth.co.uk

Former U.S. ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul has said NATO is not planning to invade Russia and there is no need for the Russian leadership to deploy S-400 air defense systems on its Western borders. "NATO will never invade Russia," he twitted on Sunday.

The former ambassador said the Russian leadership is groundlessly concerned about the deployment of NATO armaments near Russian borders. "Russians should also relax about NATO defensive weapons near Russian borders since Russia tells us no plan to invade NATO countries," McFaul wrote.

"Only a complete fool would invade Russia. Thankfully no fools running NATO countries," the diplomat noted.

Previously the Russian Defense Ministry announced new S-400 "Triumf" long-range surface-to-air missile (SAM) systems and "Pantsir-S" combined SAM and anti-aircraft artillery systems will enter service in the air defense divisions stationed in the Northwestern Federal District before the end of 2015.

"In all, more than 30 sets of modern SAM systems will enter service in the air defense divisions of the Western Military District (WMD) before the end of 2015 under the State Defense Order-2015 program," the WMD said in a press release.

US deploying 250 military vehicles 'incl. Abrams tanks' near Russian border

Source : http://www.strategic-culture.org

 

RT - Washington plans to station hardware, including tanks and armored vehicles, in a number of European countries, Defense Secretary Ash Carter announced on Tuesday. Nukes withdrawn in the 1980s will not return to Europe.

Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, and Romania will be hosting the new hardware, and it will be possible to move it around for exercises, Carter said as he stood with his Estonian, Latvian and Lithuanian counterparts on a visit to Tallinn.

The hardware will include Abrams battle tanks, Bradley fighting vehicles and self-propelled howitzers."Their purpose is to enable richer training and more mobility to forces in Europe," Carter told a news conference.

However, his colleagues made it clear that putting more American hardware close to Russia's borders is a message to Moscow. "In global terms Russia is no match conventionally to US or to NATO, but here in our corner of the world, Putin believes that he enjoys regional superiority," Estonian Defense Minister Sven Mikser said, adding that his country is ready and willing to host the vehicles immediately.

Romanian lawmakers have also approved the construction of two new NATO centers in the country's capital in a unanimous vote on Tuesday.

US and NATO allies have repeatedly slammed Russia for what they call "aggression," accusing it of being involved in the war in Ukraine. NATO recently announced plans to bolster its rapid response force in Europe to 40,000.

Last week Russia's President Vladimir Putin said Moscow would respond to NATO encroaching on its territories "accordingly."

“If someone threatens our territories, it means that we will have to aim our armed forces accordingly at the territories from where the threat is coming. How else could it be? It is NATO that is approaching our borders, it’s not like we are moving anywhere,” he said at a media conference.

However, Putin added, at the moment he could "see nothing that might prompt us" to take retaliatory measures. Moscow "will analyze everything" and stay alert.

Douglas E. Lute, the US Ambassador to NATO, believes American heavy weapons in Europe are not going to violate the NATO-Russia Founding Act, because military hardware will “only” be stored in Europe to facilitate military training and make them more effective, while also cutting back on logistics spending, RIA Novosti reports.

Lute also said the hardware will be placed in Europe without crews. Personnel will be rotated in and out as needed.

Washington is not considering re-deployment of nuclear weapons to Europe. They used to be stationed there some 30 years ago, the US permanent representative to NATO stressed. Nevertheless, Russia's Defense Ministry is worried that conventional heavy weapons will cause an escalation.

“If America’s heavy arms, be it tanks, artillery systems or other heavy military hardware are deployed to Eastern Europe and the Baltic States, it will be the Pentagon’s and NATO’s most aggressive step since the end of the Cold War a quarter of a century ago,” General Yury Yakubov, a senior Defense Ministry official, was quoted by Interfax as saying last week.

US-Russia military lineup raises fears of war: Experts

Source : http://www.presstv.ir

The lineup of powerful military forces by the United States and Russia so close to each other has raised fears that a potential miscalculation could spark a major conflict between the two nuclear powers, according to a report.

The rhetoric and actions from Washington and Moscow have intensified in recent days amid the worst tensions since the Cold War, which both sides blame on each other.

"Given the tempo of Russian military operations over the last year," said Steven Pifer of the Washington-based Brookings Institution think tank and a former US ambassador to Ukraine, according to CNN.  "You have more interactions, more possibilities for things to go wrong."

The Pentagon has announced it is ready to store heavy military equipment in East Europe to counter “Russian aggression” in the wake of the crisis in Ukraine.

The US Navy is among those participating in a NATO landing exercise in Sweden and the US Air Force has declared it could be sending some of its most advanced warplanes to Europe.

The US has already sent B-2 and B-52 nuclear-capable bombers, F-15Cs and A-10 attack planes as well as Army and Navy assets to Europe for a show of force, according to CNN.

"I could easily see the day -- though I couldn't tell you the day exactly -- when the F-22, for example, rotates in is a possibility. I don't see why that couldn't happen in the future," Air Force Secretary Deborah James said this week, describing Russia as “the biggest threat” in the region.

In response, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that his country would add intercontinental ballistic missiles to its nuclear arsenal this year.

“More than 40 new intercontinental ballistic missiles, able to overcome even the most technically advanced anti-missile defense systems, will be added to the make-up of the nuclear arsenal this year,” Putin said on Tuesday.

“If someone threatens our territories, it means that we will have to aim our armed forces accordingly at the territories from where the threat is coming,” he added. "It is NATO that is coming to our borders, it's not like we are moving anywhere." 

Moreover, the number of flights by Russian strategic bombers over the US Air Defense Identification Zone doubled last year from their norm, according to the North American Aerospace Defense Command, known as NORAD.

In the latest provocative incident, Russian military aircraft had to be scrambled to ward off a US destroyer, USS Ross, in the Black Sea after it was found heading into Russia’s territorial waters late last month.

US officials and observers point to the Ukrainian conflict as the underlying issue for the increased tensions. 

Washington has so far bolstered the Ukrainian military through non-lethal aid and training. It has also imposed several rounds of sanctions on Russia in coordination with European partners.

US senators are pressing President Barack Obama to provide lethal aid to Ukraine.

NATO should expand presence on its eastern borders - Polish defense minister

Source : http://tass.ru/en

 
TASS - Polish Defense Minister Tomasz Siemoniak has urged NATO to consistently increase presence on its eastern fringe irrespective of Russia’s stance.

"Those who are responsible for the security of their countries should do their job irrespective of someone’s words or threats," the minister said adding that remarks of intention to target their systems at someone do not contribute to building reciprocal trust.

"I believe that these remarks are meant for internal public opinion but even though they are not creating good atmosphere," the Polish Press Agency quoted the defense minister as saying.

According to Siemoniak, it’s useless to enter into any discussions with Russia. "One day the messages are calm, the next day they are strong. I believe that a NATO adopted line of calm and consistent expansion of its presence and military capabilities in the east is more than rational," the Polish defense minister stressed.

In his speech at the opening of the Army 2015 International Military Technological Forum, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that more than 40 new inter-continental ballistic missiles would be added to Russia’s nuclear arsenal this year. "They will be capable of penetrating any, even the most technologically advanced, anti-missile defense systems," the Russian president said.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists that Russia was not taking any actions, which could arouse Western security concerns. He explained that all steps which Russia had taken were retaliatory measures.

"The Russian president is giving fairly good arguments to set forth Russia’s stance on strategic security. The deterring effect of nuclear weapons can hardly be denied," Peskov said. Apart from his speech at the Army 2015 forum on Tuesday, President Putin gave a joint news conference with Finnish President Sauli Niinisto where he clearly explained that it was not Russia that was approaching anybody’s borders but NATO’s military infrastructure that was expanding closer to Russia’s borders.

Russia to bolster its forces in the west in response to Pentagon

Source: Pravda.Ru

Pentagon keeps provocating the Russian Federation as providing weaponry to its neighbouring countries.

The US has recently declared its aim to store arms in Estonia and Latvia, as well as other Eastern states.

Among the heavy weaponry to be supplied are tanks, Humvees, and Bradley Fighting Vehicles.

Such a move would be unprecedented, and is still subject to approval from Washington. A 1997 agreement with Russia currently prohibits the US from positioning these weapons and vehicles in Eastern Europe.

Russian General Yury Yakubov has since responded to the move "If US heavy hardware including tanks, artillery systems, or other fighting vehicles does appear in some Eastern European and Baltic countries, this would mark the Pentagon and NATO's most aggressive step since the Cold War time of the past century," and further added that "Russia won't have anything else to do but bolster its forces and resources on the Western strategic theater of operations."

Of course, The United States doesn't have a monopoly on hot-headed military brass, that are currently refueling Cold War tensions. Yakubov himself publicly identified the US as the most significant threat to Russia last year, and suggested that they prepare themselves to launch a preemptive nuclear strike against the US and NATO in the near future.

Russia does not threaten Western countries, only takes response measures — Kremlin

Source : http://tass.ru/en

MOSCOW, June 17. /TASS/. Russia undertakes no actions that can arise West’s security concerns, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists on Wednesday.

"It is not Russia that approaches somebody else’s borders, it is NATO’s military infrastructure that approaches Russian borders, and actions are taken directed at changing the strategic balance of forces," Peskov said.

"Of course, it arises Russia’s concern and, as the president explained, all this, of course, forces Russia to take measures for securing its interests, its security and also parity," the spokesman noted. "That is why the Russian president’s words suggest that there are no actions which could or should arise anyone’s concern," Peskov stressed.

The Kremlin spokesman thus commented on NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg’s statements about Putin’s alleged "nuclear rhetoric."

"The Russian president rather reasonably outlines Russia’s position in the sphere of strategic security, deterrent effect of nuclear weapons, it is not hardly likely that anyone will debate that," Peskov said.

He reminded that on Tuesday, Putin made a speech at the Army-2015 Forum and later said at a joint press conference with Finland’s President Sauli Niinisto that Russia is not approaching anyone’s borders, while NATO military infrastructure is moving closer to Russian borders.

Russia says will retaliate if US weapons stationed on its borders

Source : http://mobile.reuters.com

A plan by Washington to station tanks and heavy weapons in NATO states on Russia's border would be the most aggressive U.S. act since the Cold War, and Moscow would retaliate by beefing up its own forces, a Russian defense official said on Monday.

The United States is offering to store military equipment on allies' territory in eastern Europe, a proposal aimed at reassuring governments worried that after the conflict in Ukraine, they could be the Kremlin's next target.

Poland and the Baltic states, where officials say privately they have been frustrated the NATO alliance has not taken more decisive steps to deter Russia, welcomed the decision by Washington to take the lead.

But others in the region were more cautious, fearing their countries could be caught in the middle of a new arms race between Russia and the United States.

"If heavy U.S. military equipment, including tanks, artillery batteries and other equipment really does turn up in countries in eastern Europe and the Baltics, that will be the most aggressive step by the Pentagon and NATO since the Cold War," Russian defense ministry official General Yuri Yakubov said.

"Russia will have no option but to build up its forces and resources on the Western strategic front," Interfax news agency quoted him as saying.

He said the Russian response was likely to include speeding up the deployment of Iskander missiles to Kaliningrad, a Russian exclave bordered by Poland and Lithuania, and beefing up Russian forces in ex-Soviet Belarus.

"Our hands are completely free to organize retaliatory steps to strengthen our Western frontiers," Yakubov said.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said: "We hope that reason will prevail and the situation in Europe will be prevented from sliding into a new military confrontation which may have dangerous consequences."

ALLIED ARMY

The Pentagon said on Monday the U.S. military was in the process of deciding where to store a battalion's worth of military equipment in Europe. The decision is part of a long-term effort to maintain equipment for a heavy brigade in the region to facilitate U.S. rotational training with NATO allies.

"This is purely positioning of equipment to better facilitate our ability to conduct training," said Army Colonel Steve Warren, a Pentagon spokesman, noting that two battalions of equipment already was stored there.

Lieutenant General Ben Hodges, commander of the U.S. Army in Europe, told Reuters in December the equipment set for the full brigade would be about 160 M-1 tanks plus M-2 Bradley fighting vehicles and self-propelled howitzers. A Pentagon official said on Monday the total number of vehicles would be about 220.

U.S. officials said a proposal under review envisages storing a company's worth of equipment, enough for 150 soldiers, in each of the three Baltic nations: Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia.

Enough equipment for a company or possibly a battalion, or about 750 soldiers, would also be located in Poland, Romania, Bulgaria and possibly Hungary.

The idea was that, in the event of an attack on NATO's eastern border, the United States could quickly fly in troops who would use the equipment, cutting out the weeks or months it would take to transport convoys of gear overland across Europe.

However, the U.S. proposal could cause tensions within NATO, an alliance that often struggles to accommodate more hawkish members such as Poland or Lithuania alongside other states that want to avoid a military stand-off with Russia at any cost.

Speaking after talks in Warsaw with the U.S. Secretary of the Navy, Ray Mabus, Polish Defence Minister Tomasz Siemoniak said he expected a final U.S. decision on the equipment within a few weeks.

"They know how important this is to us, because we want to build a permanent U.S. presence, the allied army here on the Polish territory," Siemoniak told reporters.

"It seems to me that such enterprises, that is equipment warehouses, are a very crucial step when it comes to building such a presence."

A spokesman for Lithuania's foreign ministry, Kestutis Vaskelevicius, said any increased NATO presence was intended to improve the security of the Baltic states. "(It) is not directed against anyone, and it does not threaten anyone," he said.

 

TWO-SPEED NATO

Since Russia's annexation of Ukraine's Crimea Peninsula and a rebellion by Moscow-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine, Poland and the Baltic states - countries with a history of Russian occupation - have pushed NATO for a muscular response.

But proposals for a permanent NATO combat presence in eastern Europe were blocked by Germany and some other alliance members. Instead, NATO intensified exercises, rotating troops through the region and set up a command headquarters for a rapid reaction force in north-west Poland.

Sources close to the government in Poland, and other states in the region, said that response persuaded them they could not fully rely on NATO, and that their best bet in the event of an attack was that the U.S. military would come to their aid.

At a NATO summit in Wales last year, agreement was reached on "pre-positioning" military equipment in eastern Europe, but the Pentagon's plan appeared to go further and faster than measures envisaged by the alliance.

The initiative could force some former Warsaw Pact countries now in NATO to make uncomfortable choices.

Bulgaria and Hungary both say they are committed members of the alliance, but they have maintained close cultural and commercial ties to Moscow, and may not want to jeopardize those links by storing U.S. military equipment on their soil.

Rosen Plevneliev, the Bulgarian President, said it was too early to say if his country would join the Pentagon's initiative.

"At the current moment there is no proposal whatsoever to the Bulgarian government upon which we can start discussions," he said.

US may force Russian military’s hand: Moscow

Source : http://www.presstv.ir

Potential US military buildup near Russia’s borders may force the Russian military to respond in kind by reinforcing its frontier presence, says a Russian military official.

Army General Yury Yakubov, a coordinator from the Russian Defense Ministry’s general inspectors directorate, was responding to reports that the United States Department of Defense is planning to concentrate US heavy military hardware near Russian borders.

"If US heavy hardware including tanks, artillery systems, or other fighting vehicles does appear in some Eastern European and Baltic countries, this would mark the Pentagon and NATO's most aggressive step since the Cold War time of the past century,” he said on Monday.

“And Russia won't have anything else to do but bolster its forces and resources on the Western strategic theater of operations," the official noted.

Yakubov said the response would be initialized by the reinforcement the forces along Russia’s western border.
 
The comments came amid continued high tensions between Russia and the US-led Western military alliance of NATO over the crisis in Ukraine, which the West accuses Moscow of having a hand in. Russia denies the allegations.

The New York Times reported on Saturday that the Pentagon was ready to store heavy military equipment in East Europe to face a possible “Russian aggression” in the wake of the crisis in Ukraine.

The weaponry, which includes battle tanks and infantry fighting vehicles, was enough for as many as 5,000 American troops, the daily wrote.