Showing posts with label FSB. Show all posts
Showing posts with label FSB. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 9, 2021
Land Forces Alert:New Russian Buildup Heightens Washington's Fears Over Ukraine
Since late September,Russian troops,tanks and artillery have been massing near Yelnya,Russia near Northern Ukraine.The move has Washington gravely concerned-so much so that CIA Director William Burns,who speaks Russian and was a former Ambassador to Russia,was sent to Moscow by US President Joseph R. Biden last week for talks with Kremlin officials.Mr.Burns spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin by phone,telling him the US is seriously concerned about the irregular deployment,and probing the Kremlin's intentions for the bulked-up capability.Mr.Burns also met with Nikolai Patrushev,Secretary of Russia's Security Council and former head of the FSB,the Russian spy agency that succeeded the KGB,informing him the US was following the unusual miltary activity very closely.*
The massing of troops and firepower had begun following a Russia-Belarus joint exercise in the area.The elite 1st Guards Tank Army is among the tents,armoured units and support elements that were detected by a Maxar Technologies satellite.Photos of the buildup by the satellite were viewed by this blog.Forces of the 41st Combined Arms Army did not return to their base in Novosibirsk,Siberia after the drills with Belarus,and were augmented by even more troops.*
Pentagon spokesman Rear Admiral John Kirby,US Navy retired,said:
We're aware of public reports of unusual Russian military activity near Ukraine.We're going to continue to consult with Allies and Partners on this issue.As we've said before,any escalating or aggressive actions would be of great concern to the United States.*
Indeed,Ukraine's defence ministry noted that Russia has:
established a practise of transferring and accumulating military units for the purpose of maintaining tension in the region and political pressure on neighbouring countries.*
Some US officials are more concerned about this buildup than the one that occurred back in March,noting that Russia is configuring a capability to make a quiick strike against Ukraine.A congressional aide said:
With such a large buildup,Putin could order an invasion at any time and there would be very little warning.*
A european diplomat feels that the US is:
very,very concerned-this is the most concerned I've heard them about Russia in a long,long time.*
The Voice of America recalled that US Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland had visited Moscow last month,but failed to resolve a dispute over the respective sizes of the US Embassy in Moscow and the Russian Embassy in Washington.There is also tension over Russian control over the natural gas supply to Ukraine and Europe for the coming winter,with fears that Russia will use natural gas to blackmail its neighbours.Some experts believe that Putin's ultimate aim may be to reabsorb Ukraine into Russia,given recent articles written by both him and Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev disparaging Ukrainian statehood.*
Maxar Technologies Inc (MAXR)
Tuesday, September 25, 2018
The Donbas War:US Air Force Spy Plane Arrives as Ukraine Sets Up Its New Naval Base
A new front in the Donbas War in Eastern Ukraine may be opening up in the Sea of Azov,a bay-like body of water at the top of the Black Sea fronted by Ukraine to the west and Russia to the east.And with this development,the United States has taken a step in greater involvement in the conflict by sending a sophisticated reconnaissance aircraft to possibly assist NATO partner Ukraine with intelligence support for the naval base project.
On 22 September 2018,the Russian FSB (KGB successor) announced that ships of the FSB Coast Guard were dispatched to intercept two Ukrainian Navy ships that had entered the "exclusive economic zone" near Russian-annexed Crimea.These intercepted ships were the Ukrainian Navy's A 500 Donbas search&rescue ship and A 830 Korets seagoing tug.They had departed from Odessa,Ukraine on 20 September and were enroute to Mariupol and then Berdyansk,where the new naval base is going up.The two Ukrainian vessels were accompanied by small armoured artillery boats P 177 Kremenchuk and P 178 Lubny,which had been dispatched from the port of Berdyansk to support the Donbas and the Korets.
Meanwhile,at about 1200 hours local time,a US Air Force RC-135 Rivet Joint reconnaissance aircraft began operations over the Kerch Strait area.The Kerch Strait is the narrow channel between the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov.Crossing the Strait is an illegal Russian-built bridge connecting the Taman Peninsula to Crimea which has been criticised by Ukraine and NATO.*
One of the FSB armed Coast Guard ships was the patrol ship Ametist (project 22460) which,with two other unidentified FSB patrol ships intercepted the Ukrainian Navy ships when they passed the Crimean city of Sevastopol.One of the FSB Coast Guard ships violated international norms by coming too close to the Ukrainians.Recall that the Ukrainian ships were transiting the Black Sea at this point to reach the Sea of Azov by way of the Kerch Strait.*
The Ukrainian ship Donbas will strengthen the Ukrainian Navy's fleet infrastructure on the Sea of Azov,helping establish the headquarters,barracks,warehouses and other critical facilities which are currently lacking.As well,on 12 September,Colonel General Serhiy Popko,commander,Ukrainian Ground Forces,said Ukraine would augment its ground forces near the Sea of Azov with permanent territorial defence structures,missile and artillery forces,plus Ukrainian Air Force assets,to provide a "reliable coastal defence."*
The RC-135V is considered a premier SIGINT collection platform.The US Air Force has 17 RC-135s,which are converted Boeing airliners that have been operational and upgraded since 1964.The RC-135 has participated in every major conflict since that time,and the UK has acquired its own Rivet Joint aircraft.*
As the Ukrainian ships approached the Kerch Strait,they were met by more than 10 FSB Coast Guard ships and Russian Navy warships,while also being buzzed by low-flying Russian aircraft.Nonetheless,the Ukrainian Navy ships made it safely to their objective.*
The Stratfor Company,a noted consultancy and publisher in the strategic and international studies field,made the following remarks on the Sea of Azov crisis:
The military buildup could lead to growing economic disruption of shipping in and out of the sea.Russia is stronger than Ukraine on the sea,but robust US support for Kiev could alter the situation in the area.
As a result of growing tensions,a flare-up is now entirely possible,especially if the United States brings its weight to bear in the conflict.*
The Boeing Company (BA)
On 22 September 2018,the Russian FSB (KGB successor) announced that ships of the FSB Coast Guard were dispatched to intercept two Ukrainian Navy ships that had entered the "exclusive economic zone" near Russian-annexed Crimea.These intercepted ships were the Ukrainian Navy's A 500 Donbas search&rescue ship and A 830 Korets seagoing tug.They had departed from Odessa,Ukraine on 20 September and were enroute to Mariupol and then Berdyansk,where the new naval base is going up.The two Ukrainian vessels were accompanied by small armoured artillery boats P 177 Kremenchuk and P 178 Lubny,which had been dispatched from the port of Berdyansk to support the Donbas and the Korets.
Meanwhile,at about 1200 hours local time,a US Air Force RC-135 Rivet Joint reconnaissance aircraft began operations over the Kerch Strait area.The Kerch Strait is the narrow channel between the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov.Crossing the Strait is an illegal Russian-built bridge connecting the Taman Peninsula to Crimea which has been criticised by Ukraine and NATO.*
One of the FSB armed Coast Guard ships was the patrol ship Ametist (project 22460) which,with two other unidentified FSB patrol ships intercepted the Ukrainian Navy ships when they passed the Crimean city of Sevastopol.One of the FSB Coast Guard ships violated international norms by coming too close to the Ukrainians.Recall that the Ukrainian ships were transiting the Black Sea at this point to reach the Sea of Azov by way of the Kerch Strait.*
The Ukrainian ship Donbas will strengthen the Ukrainian Navy's fleet infrastructure on the Sea of Azov,helping establish the headquarters,barracks,warehouses and other critical facilities which are currently lacking.As well,on 12 September,Colonel General Serhiy Popko,commander,Ukrainian Ground Forces,said Ukraine would augment its ground forces near the Sea of Azov with permanent territorial defence structures,missile and artillery forces,plus Ukrainian Air Force assets,to provide a "reliable coastal defence."*
The RC-135V is considered a premier SIGINT collection platform.The US Air Force has 17 RC-135s,which are converted Boeing airliners that have been operational and upgraded since 1964.The RC-135 has participated in every major conflict since that time,and the UK has acquired its own Rivet Joint aircraft.*
As the Ukrainian ships approached the Kerch Strait,they were met by more than 10 FSB Coast Guard ships and Russian Navy warships,while also being buzzed by low-flying Russian aircraft.Nonetheless,the Ukrainian Navy ships made it safely to their objective.*
The Stratfor Company,a noted consultancy and publisher in the strategic and international studies field,made the following remarks on the Sea of Azov crisis:
The military buildup could lead to growing economic disruption of shipping in and out of the sea.Russia is stronger than Ukraine on the sea,but robust US support for Kiev could alter the situation in the area.
As a result of growing tensions,a flare-up is now entirely possible,especially if the United States brings its weight to bear in the conflict.*
The Boeing Company (BA)
Tuesday, September 8, 2015
Russia in the Arctic - a cause for concern?
Little Diomede Island is the last US possession before entering Russian territory just a few miles away.If the Eskimos that live there venture too close to Russia,Russian border guards in watchtowers yell at them or even fire warning shots.There are no US troops on Little Diomede.The Eskimos help keep an eye on Russia with a spotting scope.US Air Force fighter jets from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson,Alaska intercept any Russian aircraft approaching US airspace.*
There's not an enormous amount of concern in the US military about what Russia is doing on the ground in the Arctic,says Stephen Lee Myers,New York Times correspondent.The US Coast Guard is strained by the resources it has to deploy in the Arctic.From the NATO perspective,it's not necessarily provocative.What is,is Russia's aggressive air patrolling along the Arctic and Baltic.It's an era of testing and provocation.*
Marlene LaRuelle of George Washington University says the Russian FSB Arctic Brigade is a Coast Guard of the border.It would be a very modest thing with 50-60 people up there for search and rescue if anything happened.What's going on is more domestic,managing crisis more than anything else.
Apart from Murmansk,the focus for Russia is primarily domestic security.Russia's not just concerned with oil and gas,but mineral extraction as well to support Arctic cities.Our only infrastructure in the Arctic is the US Coast Guard seasonal presence.We don't have the aspirational view that the Russians do.*
We're starting to see the Russian facilities are dual use,but we don't know what use.We need to get our arms around it.We're starting to see warning signs,cautioned Heather Conley of the Center for Strategic and International Studies.*
According to Russia's official RIA Novosti news agency,former Soviet bases in the Arctic are being reactivated in response to renewed NATO interest in the region.The airstrip in Novaya Zembla can now accommodate fighters and part of the North Fleet is establishing quarters there.A new far north military group of two brigades totaling 6,000 soldiers will be deployed in Murmansk and then the Yamal-Nenets autonomous region.Radar and ground guidance systems are planned for Franz Josef Land in Novaya Zemlya,Wrangel Island and Cape Schmidt.The FSB is increasing the number of border guards on Russia's northern perimeter.*
There's not an enormous amount of concern in the US military about what Russia is doing on the ground in the Arctic,says Stephen Lee Myers,New York Times correspondent.The US Coast Guard is strained by the resources it has to deploy in the Arctic.From the NATO perspective,it's not necessarily provocative.What is,is Russia's aggressive air patrolling along the Arctic and Baltic.It's an era of testing and provocation.*
Marlene LaRuelle of George Washington University says the Russian FSB Arctic Brigade is a Coast Guard of the border.It would be a very modest thing with 50-60 people up there for search and rescue if anything happened.What's going on is more domestic,managing crisis more than anything else.
Apart from Murmansk,the focus for Russia is primarily domestic security.Russia's not just concerned with oil and gas,but mineral extraction as well to support Arctic cities.Our only infrastructure in the Arctic is the US Coast Guard seasonal presence.We don't have the aspirational view that the Russians do.*
We're starting to see the Russian facilities are dual use,but we don't know what use.We need to get our arms around it.We're starting to see warning signs,cautioned Heather Conley of the Center for Strategic and International Studies.*
According to Russia's official RIA Novosti news agency,former Soviet bases in the Arctic are being reactivated in response to renewed NATO interest in the region.The airstrip in Novaya Zembla can now accommodate fighters and part of the North Fleet is establishing quarters there.A new far north military group of two brigades totaling 6,000 soldiers will be deployed in Murmansk and then the Yamal-Nenets autonomous region.Radar and ground guidance systems are planned for Franz Josef Land in Novaya Zemlya,Wrangel Island and Cape Schmidt.The FSB is increasing the number of border guards on Russia's northern perimeter.*
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