On the heels of warning the US not to provoke “the Bear,” Vladimir Putin signed a military doctrine, declaring NATO Russia’s enemy number one.
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a new military doctrine, naming NATO expansion among key external risks, the Kremlin said on Friday, days after Ukraine made fresh steps to join the Atlantic military alliance. (Yahoo News)
NATO is scrambling to flatly deny they are any threat to Russia as Putin signs a new military doctrine, declaring that NATO is among the key threats to Russian sovereignty.
Putin and the Russian military faulted NATO for turning the situation in the Ukraine into a “frontline of confrontation” and threatened to cut any ties left if Ukraine’s hope of joining NATO is realized.
The new doctrine indicated the Kremlin’s readiness of a stronger posture in response to what it sees as U.S.-led efforts to isolate and weaken Russia.
The Kiev parliament’s renunciation of Ukraine’s neutral status on Tuesday in pursuit of NATO membership has outraged Moscow and deepened the worst confrontation between Russia and the West since the end of the Cold War after Russia’s annexation of Ukraine’s Crimea peninsula this year. (Yahoo News)
Moscow denies any “support” of the open rebellion and is currently trying, along with Kiev and the rebels, to renew efforts to find a political solution to the crisis in eastern Ukraine.
While similar to the 2010 Military Doctrine Putin signed, it does have a very stark contrast.
It says Russia could employ nuclear weapons in retaliation for the use of nuclear or other weapons of mass destruction against the country or its allies, and also in the case of aggression involving conventional weapons that “threatens the very existence” of the Russian state.
But for the first time, the new doctrine says Russia could use precision weapons “as part of strategic deterrent measures.” The document does not spell out when and how Moscow could resort to such weapons. (Yahoo News)
Some examples of these “precision weapons” would be ground to ground missiles, air- and submarine-launched cruise missiles, guided bombs, and artillery shells.
The military document also declares the protection of Russia’s interests in the Arctic, where new oil deposits have been discovered in areas that were previously covered with ice shelves. Russia has relied heavily on its nuclear deterrent and has lagged far behind the U.S. and its NATO allies in the development of precision conventional weapons. However, it has recently sped up its military modernization, buying large numbers of new weapons and boosting military drills. It has also sharply increased air patrols over the Baltics and both polar circles.
Russia has threatened to permanently station the Iskander missiles, which can hit targets up to 480 kilometers (about 300 miles) away with high precision, in retaliation for U.S.-led NATO’s missile defense plans. The Iskander can be fitted with a nuclear or conventional warhead.
On Friday, Moscow successfully test-fired the RS-24 Yars intercontinental ballistic missile from the Plesetsk launchpad in northwestern Russia.
The 29-page doctrine outlines top threats to Russia’s security and possible responses. It is the document’s third edition since Putin was first elected in 2000. (Yahoo News)
NATO admits it may be years before they would consider the Ukraine for membership. NATO spokeswoman Oana Lungescu responded by saying in a statement that the alliance “poses no threat to Russia or to any nation.”
“Any steps taken by NATO to ensure the security of its members are clearly defensive in nature, proportionate and in compliance with international law,” she said. “In fact, it is Russia’s actions, including currently in Ukraine, which are breaking international law and undermining European security.” (Associated Press Release)
Meanwhile, tensions between two of the three remaining “Super Powers” are being brought to levels not seen since the end of the “Cold War.” NATO and the countries they represent are attempting to de-escalate the tension brought on by what Putin sees as interference and a deliberate attempt to sabotage the Russian economy.
As the UAE continues to flood the market with oil, sinking the price for oil, Russia’s economy continues to be shaky as they rely on 80% of their GDP on oil sales. Russia is blaming the U.S. led sanctions over the Ukraine and U.S. interference for being key to the loss of their economy.
Former Russian President Mikhail Gorbachev, who had been critical of Putin in the past but has strongly backed the Kremlin in its dispute with the West, said Friday that Russia’s actions were a response to U.S. and NATO moves.
“I think the president is right to a large extent when he draws attention to a particular responsibility of the United States,” he said in Moscow. (Yahoo News)
Other experts state that the vague reference to a “strategic deterrent” may indicate development of new weapons technologies by Russia.
Alexander Konovalov, a Moscow-based independent military expert, said the doctrine’s mention of using precision conventional weapons as a “strategic deterrent” sounds vague, but could be a reference to new weapons.
“It may mean the development of weapons systems, which would make it impossible for NATO to plan a surprise first strike, because it would draw a powerful retaliation,” he said. “It would allow (Russia) to enforce its will on the enemy without using nuclear warheads.” (Yahoo News)
So far there is no scaling down from talks of escalation from either side. In fact, Russia seems gearing up toward what Putin called the “reigniting of the Cold War” by the U.S. and President Obama.
Source:http://madworldnews.com/putin-military-doctrine-nato/ Brandon Walker
Comments
It’s about “economic survival”. Russian
paranoia runs deep. Russia needs revenue from oil exports and the Saudi move to
reduce prices has them on the ropes. Ukraine’s bid to join NATO made them
crazy. In medieval times, fiefdoms that occupied trade routes charged tolls.
Why weren’t the port and pipeline charges enough for the Ukrainians ? Why wasn’t that good enough for Russia ? Why did Russia object to Ukraine joining the
EU and NATO ? It appears that Putin wants control of the Ukraine, period.
Norb Leahy, Dunwoody GA Tea Party Leader
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