Voice of Russia
December 11, 2013
Russia modernizing and building its defenses in response to modern threats
John Robles
The Russian Federation is responding to developing and current threats to its security and attempts by the West to shift the global strategic military balance in its favor, with US/NATO’s missile “defense” shield being cited as one of the key threats faced by Russia in maintaining a strategic balance and one for which against which measures are being taken. Attempts by the US/NATO to militarize the Arctic are also being addressed as well as attempts by US/NATO to tip the balance of the nuclear deterrence and project its “force” globally, in particular with regard to the Middle East.
President Vladimir Putin, speaking to an expanded meeting of the Russian Ministry of Defense on Tuesday stated that plans by US/NATO to expand its missile defense plans in Europe have not stopped and continue unabated, hence Russia is forced to respond. Speaking of the continuation of US/NATO missile “defense” plans is clearly in response to statements by US/NATO that despite the supposed threat of Iran (the pretext for the ABM shield) being eliminated they will not change their plans for installing missiles in Europe.
President Putin has publically stated and now confirmed what many have been saying for years regarding the ABM shield being installed in order to neutralize any response from Russia. The fact that with minor modifications the missiles making up the shield could be converted into first strike weapons were not touched upon by the president but given the context this is clear and is something he is no doubt aware of.
President Putin said that the West is attempting bring about a shift in the strategic balance.
“There are ongoing attempts to violate, ‘blur’ the strategic balance. First of all, they are related, of course, with plans to build a US missile defense,” President Putin said.
With regard to the massive modernization taking place in the Russian military and across the entire spectrum of the Russian armed forces President Putin underlined the fact that leading countries are actively modernizing their arsenals, investing heavily in the development of weapons including in are where new generation technologies are being used. He stated that Russia is no exception.
Regarding exercises that have been held in 2013, President Putin said confirmed the reliability of Russia’s nuclear shield and he spoke highly of the increased combat capabilities of the aerospace defense forces, especially with regard to Russia’s own missile defense warning and interception systems.
Regarding continued upgrades the President stated that in 2014, the Armed Forces will receive more than 40 most advanced intercontinental ballistic missiles, more than 210 aircraft and helicopters and more than 250 armored vehicles. In response to threats the nuclear missile carriers Alexander Nevsky and Vladimir Monomakh and part of a constellation of six new satellites, will be deployed and on active watch.
Recently the Head of the Duma Committee on Foreign Affairs Alexei Pushkov also spoke about the US/NATO “shield” and said that NATO will now have nothing to justify the need for the creation of a European missile defense shield if the Iranian “problem” is solved.
Mr. Pushkov stated the: “The NATO missile defense system in Europe needs the so-called Iranian threat to explain its existence. If the Iranian problem is solved, there will be nothing to explain (missile) defense.”
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov also recently made a similar statement at a media forum in Rome, stating that “… if an agreement on Iran will be realized, the reason for the creation of a missile defense system in Europe will disappear.”
US/NATO are recalcitrant however with a source in NATO recently stating that the North Atlantic Treaty Organization sees no reason to revise plans for a European missile defense arrangements in relation to Iran’s nuclear program. Despite claiming for years that the ABM shield was being built against an Iranian threat US/NATO has regrouped and updated their clearly false claims taking them one step further.
A NATO spokesperson in Brussels recently told Interfax that: “We know that more than 30 countries have or are acquiring ballistic missile technology that could eventually be used as carriers of not only conventional warheads, but also weapons of mass destruction”.
One might ask US/NATO if it is possible for countries with more primitive technologies to change their configurations to deliver, even nuclear payloads, why are we supposed to believe that US/NATO cannot do the same with their Advanced Capability 3 interceptor missiles and their own missile defense elements. The answer is that they can be quickly changed into first strike weapons and Russia knows this. Who these now “30″ countries are that US/NATO needs to defend itself against are in not clear nor was it stated, but clearly it is a disingenuous argument needed to justify their continued plans to surround Russia with missiles.
President Putin made the connection between diplomatic efforts and military strength underling Russia’s staunch position in always seeking a diplomatic solution to conflicts. He noted in his speech that Russia has consistently advocated settlement of international and regional issues exclusively by diplomatic means, adding that the “factor of military deterrence” often plays a significant role.
It is important to recall that President Putin also recently disbanded the Kremlin working group which was seeking to find ways of cooperation with US/NATO on missile defense. Clearly surrounding Russian and oneself with US/NATO rockets is not something that the Kremlin is too keen on being a party to.
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