Russia to hold military exercise before Obama arrival
Published: 29 June, 2009, 15:50
Edited: 01 October, 2009, 07:01
TAGS: Breakaway regions, Conflict, Military, Georgia, Russia
“Kavkaz-2009” – a military exercise of a scale comparable to those in the Soviet era begins on Monday in Southern Russia. It will run until July 6, when US President Barack Obama arrives in Moscow.
More than 8,500 soldiers, 200 tanks, 450 armoured vehicles and 250 artillery cannons will take part in the war games.
Head of the General Staff General Nikolay Makarov will supervise the exercise that will take place in the Krasnodar, Stavropol, Astrakhan, Volgograd, Rostov regions, as well as the Russian republics of North Ossetia, Ingushetia, Dagestan, Karachaevo-Cherkessia and Chechnya.
According to military officials the purpose of the war games is to “test the real combat readiness and mobility of the Southwestern division of Russia’s Army.”
“Russia’s military exercise, as we see it chronologically, is a kind of response. We do it in order to increase the country’s defense capacity in the most threatening directions.”
Dmitry Rogozin, Russia’s NATO envoy (Interfax)
South Ossetia’s Defence Minister Yury Tanaev called the exercises exceptionally helpful.
“We will continue to conduct joint events that are benefiting the security of the whole region. We are interested in making the region more secure,” Tanaev said.
Kavkaz-2009 is just one in a series of massive military exercises planned in Russia in 2009. Some 13,000 soldiers are planning to take part in September’s “Zapad-2009” exercise in Belarus. Experts are comparing the 2009 military exercises to the Soviet era ones.
Potential source of tensions
Meanwhile, Georgia’s Foreign Ministry has protested the exercise as one “threatening the peace”.
According to the vice-speaker of Georgian Parliament Paata Davitaya, “the war games are conducted on occupied territories with provocative intentions.”
”We don’t welcome the exercise. However, Tbilisi has nothing to worry about.”
Spencer Oliver, OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Secretary General (Tass)
As Kavkaz-2009 comes less than a month after controversial NATO-led military exercises in Georgia that were condemned by Moscow, it is bound to be viewed as a response to the latter.
However, some see a possible salvation from possible hostilities with the visit of US President Obama in Moscow on the last day of the war games.
In a New York Times opinion article about the exercises, three former US diplomats called on the US to make moves to prevent a repeat of the August conflict.
In their view, Obama “should offer to engage Moscow in a broad security dialogue on regional security, NATO and the OSCE in which mutual interests and intentions could be clarified and potential disputes averted.”
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Nato came out of its barracks due to 9/11 and the Soviet made weapons is no match for the West. Even India says no thanks to their junk! Santos? You Mexican/Spain? America and it's NATO allies is what keeps you safe at night. How soon people forget of Soviets naked aggression in Europe after WW2.
I love the fact Russia is having these exercises,that will end on July 6,the date Obama arrives in Moscow.This military exercise,being of a scale comparable to those of the Soviet era,sends a great message to Obama,a Russian Enemy,and his NATO Alliance,that I consider a dangerous treat,the rest of the World must stop.I also love the fact,part of these WAR exercises are taking place,at Russian Bases in South Ossetia and Abkhazia,with the armies of those independent Republics.It is time Russia with SCO and other allies,stand together and send a united message,to this NATO organization,to send all their troops back to their barracks,and never again interfere with others anywhere in the World. The time has come for all Humanity to become Free,from the Imposed Oppression and Suffering,inflicted by this Alliance,that as of today continues tormenting all Humanity.I am sure the Russian President is well prepared to deal with Obama on their negotiations as well all other small leaders that are part of the NATO Alliance. My best regards manuel
Wyllie, India is still buying most of its weapons from Russia, while diversifying to include American weapons in its military. Of course the Soviet made weapons are no match for the west. The Soviet Union has not existed for almost twenty years. On the other hand, new Russian technology such as the S-400 surface to air missile system or the Mig-31BM are certainly a match for any NATO equipment. As for as South and Central America goes, the US had supported coups by dictators and oppression of the Latin American people by these dictators. The CIA participated in Operation Condor, in which Latin American tyrants killed hundreds of thousands of civilian dissenters. Elsewhere around the world, the USA has propped up dictators in Iran and created the Taliban. USA also supported West Pakistan during its war against India after West Pakistan committed genocide in Bangladesh. Are you really so ignorant as to think that USA is the protecting third world countries?