Communist Bloc Military Updates: Combat-ready Russian Air Force drills off Britain; Moscow applies pressure, Prague postpones US ABM system

Even as neo-Soviet Tyrant Vladimir Putin announced on August 17 the resumption of permanent strategic bomber patrols, after a 15-year interruption allegedly caused by internal political turmoil and fuel shortages, Russian aircraft were testing Norway and Britain's airspace. Russian pundits responded:

The decision was taken many months ago and specially announced on that day and at that place. This of course is very dangerous. The planes will be flying carrying nuclear weapons and flying in positions from which they can strike the United States.
-- Pavel Felgenhauer, independent military expert

It looks nice from a propaganda point of view, but it would have been better to do it a few years later since the United States has vastly more resources than Russia does for responsive measures.
-- Alexander Pikayev, independent military expert

Russia could not fail to respond to the expansion of NATO military infrastructure in Europe. It was important to demonstrate again that Russian bombers can reach targets in the United States. I think it’s a little early to provoke the US in the context of the strategic balance.
-- Vladimir Yevseyev, Senior Researcher, Center for International Security, Russian Academy of Science

Pavel Felgenhauer's assessment of Putin's announcement is particularly worth noting: "The decision was taken many months ago and specially announced on that day and at that place." Indeed. The Kremlin thinks long-term, unlike Western politicians who can barely think past the next election.

The ongoing flights will take place over the Atlantic, Pacific, Arctic, and Indian Oceans. No worries, though. According to the Russian Air Force brass, the aircraft are carrying only "dummy" bombs. State-run Voice of Russia reports: "'Russian planes are on a combat mission in the most far-away geographic regions, having dummy missiles, not nuclear weapons, on board,' said the deputy commander of the Russian long-range air force Anatoly Zhikharev." Sure, Comrade Anatoly. Did you say "dummies"? The only dummies around here are blind Western leaders and their blind followers.

Pictured above: An RAF Typhoon from No. 11 Squadron shadows a Russian Bear-H bomber over the North Atlantic Ocean, August 17, 2007. This and another pic can found at the website of the British Ministry of Defence.

British jets shadow Russian plane
Aug. 21, 2007, 1:44PM
By THOMAS WAGNER Associated Press Writer

LONDON — Two Royal Air Force jets shadowed a Russian strategic bomber that approached British air space last week, the Ministry of Defense said Tuesday.

The incident occurred Friday, the same day Russian President Vladimir Putin flexed his military's muscle by placing strategic bombers back on long-range patrol for the first time since the breakup of the Soviet Union.

Britain's defense ministry issued two photographs on its Web site showing one of the two RAF Typhoon F2s flying near the Russian Tu-95 strategic bomber over the North Atlantic ocean.

The ministry provided few details about where and why this happened. But the Russian warplane apparently was in international air space and approaching Britain's skies when it was shadowed.

Last month, two Russian bombers briefly entered British air space but turned back after British fighter jets intercepted them.

Under British and NATO regulations, Typhoon F2s are responsible for defending British air space.

In Russia on Friday, Putin announced that 20 strategic bombers had been sent far over the Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic oceans — showing off Moscow's muscular new posture.

Putin said halting long-range bombers after the Soviet collapse had hurt Russia's security because other nations — an oblique reference to the United States — had continued such missions.

Soviet bombers routinely flew missions to areas where nuclear-tipped cruise missiles could be launched at the United States. They stopped in the post-Soviet economic meltdown. But the wealth from booming oil prices has allowed Russia to sharply increase its military spending.

Eleven Russian military planes — including strategic bombers and fighter jets — carried out maneuvers west of NATO member Norway on Friday, a military official said.

Norway sent F-16 fighter jets to observe and photograph the Russian planes, which rounded the northern tip of Norway and flew south over the Norwegian Sea toward the Faeroe Islands before turning back, said Brig. Gen. Ole Asak, chief of the Norwegian Joint Air Operations Center.

A pair of Russian Tu-95 strategic bombers approached the Pacific Island of Guam — home to a major U.S. military base — this month for the first time since the Cold War.

Last month, Norwegian F-16s were also scrambled when Tu-95s headed south along the Norwegian coast in international air space.

Source: Houston.Chronicle.com

Ironically, or perhaps not so taking into account communist treachery, one of the main stated reasons for the Kremlin's belligerent statements and actions is the US plan to install its missile defense system in the "post"-communist Czech Republic, which remains under Moscow's thumb. However, after a little comradely persuasion from Moscow, it appears that Prague is moving this issue to the backburner. The persuasion came in the form of General Yuri Baluyevsky, Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces who conferred today with Martin Bartak, Czech First Deputy Defence Minister, in Moscow. State-run Novosti reports General Baluyevsky's criticism of the Czech government: "Russian-Czech consultations on the issue, which were held four months ago, regrettably brought no change in the Czech position. You made the decision to push ahead with the deployment of a radar on your soil. I believe that would be a huge mistake by your leadership." The arm twisting worked. Note the Czech minister's timid response, below: “We are interested in the development of military-technical cooperation with Russia." Same as it ever was. Viva Golitsyn!

Czech parliament not to adopt resolution on ABM this year
21.08.2007, 15.46

MOSCOW, August 21 (Itar-Tass) -- The Czech parliament will not adopt a resolution on the deployment of the radar, integrated in the U.S. ABM system, at least before the end of the year, Czech First Deputy Defence Minister Martin Bartak has said after the end of the talks with General Yuri Baluyevsky, Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces.

“We have not made a final decision so far, and we shall not make it before the talks are over and before all aspects of the problem are evaluated. Anyway, the decision will not be made before the end of the current year,” Bartak said. A referendum on the problem will not be held in the Czech Republic.

“We shall continue our discussions, and we shall follow most closely the talks between Russia and the United States,” he stressed. In his opinion, the problem of the ABM system is a separate problem, which should not affect negatively other spheres of bilateral relations between the Czech Republic and Russia.

“We are interested in the development of military-technical cooperation with Russia,” Bartak said.

Source: ITAR-TASS

Notwithstanding the cozy relationship between Prague and Moscow, in the sight of Russia's citizen-slaves and offended leaders, the USA now looks the part of the "aggressive criminal regime" that is encircling the Motherland with bases. Someone in the White House has been taking cues from "Dummies for Dummies." As we have been insisting for months, Washington swallowed Moscow's pretext for war, hook, line, and sinker.