Monday 22 July 2013

Putin praises huge military exercise

The Russian Navy's landing ship Minsk 127 in Oresund on July 10, 2013.

"Russia will continue to build up its own defense capabilities according to foreseeable threats"

"... there are methodical attempts being carried out to undermine the strategic balance" 
 "In fact the second phase of the U.S. global missile defense system has begun and there is continued probing into the possibility for further expansion of NATO to the East."
Vladimir Putin (February 26, 2013)

Russian dictator Vladimir Putin is trying to divert attention away from the rampant corruption, stifling of the opposition and mismanagement of the economy in his country by bringing back the good old days of the cold war: 

A surprise snap inspection of unprecedented scale of the current combat readiness of Russian troops in Russia's Far Eastern and Central military districts ended on Sunday. The Russian Defense Ministry will discuss and analyze the overall results of the exercise at a special meeting on Monday.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has already described the results as more than satisfactory, noting there had not been a single serious violation or failure.
The exercises involved five Russian armies, the Third Air Force and Air Defense Command including strategic aviation, and the Pacific Fleet.
Some 160,000 servicemen, approximately 1,000 tanks and armored vehicles, 130 aircraft and 70 warships took part in the drills, stated Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu.
"Such exercises have not been held since the Soviet era, or perhaps even during that period, Putin said on Wednesday after flying over the exercise in a helicopter accompanied by Shoigu.
Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the snap drills on July 12.
It is the third surprise combat readiness check since January and follows a major shake-up at the top of a military establishment tarnished by persistent evidence of rampant corruption.
Read the entire article here

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