Russia's National Defense Strategy issues

Actually, the number of "think-tanks" is supposed to be one of the Russia's strengths according to one "soft power" ranking by some Western NGO (obviously) or whatever.

(The report itself was shit, Freedom House level of bullshit in many ways... atleast Russia was included (in top 30), and even gained 1 one place from last year. But yeah, the US wasn't number 1 because of Trump (which is of course true to some extent, he's not liked outside the US, and now it includes Russia as well, I'd imagine), instead France was the "winner" due to Macron has his "global" outlook. Many small Western countries ranked really high, there's the usual BS about Russian (and China's) elections and political system...)

But yeah, anyway: so apparently Russia has a large number of think-tanks.

I honestly have no idea. I'd hope and imagine that most of them are "patriotic" at this point, in 2017, post-Crimea, but it's probably likely that there are still quite a few "Pro-Western liberal" ones as well. The same as with the universities, etc.? (Of course, now that I think about it, maybe that report listed it as a positive only because most of them are "liberal... Who knows.)

Personally, I would simply make sure these guys lives are difficult (get them fired from their jobs, incapable of obtaining mortgages, etc). But that is just me. "wanna work for the enemy? Then go live with the enemy" would be my motto.

West-2017 military drills purely defensive — Russian Foreign Ministry

The total number of troops and military equipment does not exceed the level subject to mandatory monitoring of certain military activities, as it is stipulated by the 2011 Vienna Convention

MOSCOW, August 25. /TASS/. West-2017 joint military drills between Russia and Belarus are purely defensive, while the actual number of troops and military equipment involved is less than claims made by the foreign media, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Friday.

"The West-2017 combined military exercises involving the Russian and Belarusian armed forces are purely defensive," the statement reads.

"The hype over the drills is artificial and aimed at justifying the spending on NATO’s military build-up on Poland and the Baltic states in the eyes of the western audience," the statement adds.

"We would like to point out that it is these actions that raise military tensions in Europe - a fact that the western ‘soldiers of the pen and mic’ have been complaining about recently," the ministry said.

Number of troops

The Russian Foreign Ministry rejected the allegations which said that the number of the troops expected to participate in the military exercises had been deliberately understated, while the drills’ transparency was not ensured.

"The total number of troops and military equipment does not exceed the level subjected to mandatory monitoring of certain military activities, as it is stipulated by the 2011 Vienna document," the Russian Foreign Ministry added. According to the statement, "the drills, scheduled to take place on September 14-20, will involve up to 12,700 troops [7,200 Belarusian and 5,500 Russian, including 3,000 troops in Belarus], as well as around 70 planes and helicopters, up to 680 pieces of military equipment, including about 250 tanks, around 200 cannons, multiple launch rocket systems and mortars, and up to ten ships."

"It is far less that the claims being made by the media in connection with the upcoming military exercises," the statement says.

At the same time, the Russian Foreign Ministry pointed out that Belarus, acting on its own initiative, had invited representatives of the United Nations, Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), NATO, Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), as well as diplomats and military observers from Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Ukraine, Estonia, Sweden and Norway, to monitor the drills. Moreover, Belarus held a briefing on the sidelines of the OSCE Forum for Security Cooperation. "We welcome the steps taken by Belarus," the Russian Foreign Ministry noted.

Russian military experts, in turn, held a briefing dedicated to the drills in NATO headquarters on July 13. Until the end of August, the Russian Defense Ministry planned to organize another briefing for foreign diplomats and military experts accredited in Russia.

The drills

West-2017 military drills, scheduled to take place at six training ranges in Russia and Belarus on September 14-20, will involve around 12,700 troops. The number of troops expected to participate in the drills is less than that stipulated by the 2011 Vienna document (13,000). This is the reason why it is not mandatory to invite foreign observers to monitor the military exercises.

However, a number of western countries have been voicing their concern over the upcoming drills.


More:
http://tass.com/politics/962107

Zapad-2017 drills in Belarus to involve 98 Russian tanks

The Zapad-2017 joint Russian-Belarusian drills will take place on September 14-20 at six training ranges in Belarus and three training ranges in Russia

MINSK, September 13. /TASS/. The Zapad-2017 (or West 2017) Belarusian-Russian military drills, scheduled to be held in Belarus, will involve 138 tanks, including 98 Russian ones, says the data presented at the Wednesday briefing by Head of the Belarusian Defense Ministry’s International Military Cooperation Department Oleg Voinov.

According to the Belarusian Defense Ministry, the drills that will be held on the country’s territory, will involve 231 armored fighting vehicles, including 104 Russian ones. Out of 241 artillery and missile systems, 32 have been brought from Russia. Besides, 40 aircraft, including 27 Russian planes and helicopters, will fly air patrols over the country.

The Zapad-2017 joint Russian-Belarusian drills will take place on September 14-20 at six training ranges in Belarus and three training ranges in Russia. Around 12,700 troops are expected to participate in the military exercises, with 10,200 of them deployed to Belarus. The drills will also involve 680 pieces of military hardware. The Belarusian Defense Ministry has invited several countries and international organizations, including United Nations, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), NATO, the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), to monitor the drills. Russia, in turn, has sent invitations to defense ministers of a number of countries to attend the final stage of the exercises.


More:
http://tass.com/defense/965451

Zapad-2017, the West is not going to be happy if this is correct. Russia playing to the Red Invasion MIC crowd.

Russia’s declared number of troops taking part in the biannual Zapad-2017 military exercise, about to start in Belarus, reveals that Moscow is almost certainly being ‘economical with the truth’.

A forensic analysis of the data available about these exercises, including that related to mandatory reporting of the military equipment restricted by the Conventional Forces in Europe (CFE) Treaty, offers conclusive evidence that Russia is being economical with the truth. This analysis suggests the number of troops participating in the exercises will be closer to 65–70,000.


https://rusi.org/commentary/zapad-2017-why-do-numbers-matter

JohninMK wrote:Zapad-2017, the West is not going to be happy if this is correct. Russia playing to the Red Invasion MIC crowd.

Russia’s declared number of troops taking part in the biannual Zapad-2017 military exercise, about to start in Belarus, reveals that Moscow is almost certainly being ‘economical with the truth’.

A forensic analysis of the data available about these exercises, including that related to mandatory reporting of the military equipment restricted by the Conventional Forces in Europe (CFE) Treaty, offers conclusive evidence that Russia is being economical with the truth. This analysis suggests the number of troops participating in the exercises will be closer to 65–70,000.


https://rusi.org/commentary/zapad-2017-why-do-numbers-matter

Whether this is true or not, West does not offer the truth either so why should Russia respond in kind? West propaganda vs The King and Queen of concealment

Putin visits Zapad-2017 to see military eliminate simulated terrorist infiltrators

The strategic Zapad-2017 drills are the last phase of joint training exercises by the armed forces of the Union State of Russia and Belarus this year

LUZHSKY PROVING GROUND /Leningrad Region/, September 18. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin has reviewed progress in the Zapad-2017 military exercise at the Luzhsky proving ground, the Leningrad Region. Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu, who was briefing Putin on the scenario of the exercise, said 95 foreign monitors from 50 countries were present at the event.

"They appear to be interested," Putin said. Putin and Shoigu have highly praised the results of the West 2017 military drill, Commander of the Western Military District Forces, Colonel General Andrey Kartapolov told reporters.

"The supreme commander-in-chief and the defense minister have highly praised [the drill,]" Kartapolov said.

The commander noted the range of today’s drill. "The scope of today’s stage was great, about 600 kilometers at the front, and the forces completed tasks at three ranges at the same time," the colonel general noted.

Units taking part in the exercises have a very high level of training and are successfully completing all the set tasks despite the complicated weather conditions, he said. "Units of the 25th separate motorized rifle brigade, 138th motorized rifle brigade, 240 kilometers to the north from us, units of the 2nd Taman division and paratroopers have acted very firmly," Kartapolov said.

The commander also noted work of "strike and reconnaissance units that made it possible to use aviation with great precision in these complicated conditions.".

Under the scenario of the exercise small groups of militants had infiltrated into Russia’s territory across the border to have merged into several large units each having a strength of up to 500 men for staging terrorist attacks and acts of sabotage. They seized a large number of light aircraft and drones at airfields near the border. For this reason air defense artillery systems Pantsir-S1, air defense missiles Strela-1 and other counter-weapons had to be used. On the ground, the enemy was attacked with support provided by artillery and armored vehicles, including T-90 tanks, the newest tank support vehicles Terminator, front-line bombers Sukhoi-24, fighter-bombers Sukhoi-34 and also Mi-24, Mi-28 and Ka-52 helicopters.

The concerted attack against the hypothetical terrorists on the ground was accompanied by an air assault. The intruder forces were sealed off and eliminated.

The strategic exercise Zapad-2017 is the last phase of joint training by the armed forces of the Union State of Russia and Belarus this year. Participating in the exercise are up to 12,700 troops, 70 planes and helicopters, up to 680 pieces of military equipment on the ground, including 250 tanks, 200 artillery pieces multiple rocket launchers and mortars and ten ships.
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More:
http://tass.com/defense/966181

Human rights NGOs have obtained photo that proves that Russian Military is about to secretly invade and oppress innocent Smurf village during Zapad-2017 maneuvers

#SmurfLivesMatter

Well the beggars need more money. This is the best way right now.

Russia’s and Uzbekistan’s defence ministers determined to strengthen counter-terrorism cooperation

http://eng.mil.ru/en/news_page/country/more.htm?id=12145824@egNews

Carnegi sure employs some high grade imbeciles. I wonder how much was that cretin paid for that article. It is kind of embarrassing that their paid staff ends up looking dumber and more ignorant then average internet forum troll.

ZoA wrote:Carnegi sure employs some high grade imbeciles. I wonder how much was that cretin paid for that article. It is kind of embarrassing that their paid staff ends up looking dumber and more ignorant then average internet forum troll.

usually Franco posts gold, not garbage. So I don't see the point since we all know what Carnegie is. But that shouldn't be surprising.

I meant no slight on Franco. Seemed to me his interest is more in links in footnotes then in nonsense author was writing. And indeed there are few interesting footnotes.

ZoA wrote:Carnegi sure employs some high grade imbeciles.....

like your assesment..

franco wrote:Obviously no readers of Sun Tzu  

nah nah, no attack on you. Most don't know the wisdom of Franco. You are like one of those old Chinese monks. You don't say something unless you have to, everything you post is for a reason. Took me a while to figure you out