Medvedev: - Large-scale rearming
- The transition of all military units to a level of combat readiness is number one on the agenda. Russia would not be deterred in this plan by the financial crisis, President Dmitri Medvedev told Generals in Moscow today. Much of the rearming will be in the Russian part of the Barents Region.
Russia’s large-scale rearming to start in 2011 comes in response to what Medvedev described as threats to the country’s security. He cited encroachment by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) as a primary reason for bolstering the military, including nuclear forces.
Attempts to expand the military infrastructure of NATO near the borders of our country are continuing, Medvedev told an annual meeting with the Defence Ministry’s top commanders, reports Russia Today.
BarentsObserver has in detail reported about the latest years’ Russian rearmament programme for the army and the navy’s submarine and surface fleet in addition to the increased numbers of Northern fleet naval vessels on patrols around the worlds oceans. For the last two years the renewed flights with strategic bombers in the north attracts much attention among Russia neighbouring countries, frequently reported by BarentsObserver.
The Financial Times quoted Medvedev saying today: - Never in the history of modern Russia have there been such favourable conditions to create a contemporary highly efficient armed forces.
In February BarentsObserver reported that the economical crisis does not affect the new-building and repair-work of Russia’s nuclear submarines. In Severodvinsk it is business like last year.
According to the International Harald Tribune President Medvedev did not offer specifics on how much the budget would grow for the military, whose capabilities deteriorated significantly after the fall of Soviet Union.
Russia Today translated the words of the presidential speech: - A modern military well trained and well equipped with modern weapons… is a guarantee of our protection from any potential threat or attempts to pressure our country. The transition of all military units to a level of combat readiness is number one on the agenda, Medvedev said.
The first international reactions on Medvedev’s rearming announcement today are calm. Interviewed by Norway’s biggest newspaper VG, Russian expert Jakub M. Godzimirski at the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs says this in reality is more like a modernization program.
- What they (Russia) have of military hardware today is not impressing, and according to my view this plan is more about changing old equipments with new, says Godzimirski.
The first reaction from the United States is also relaxed. Quoted by AFP the US Defence Department’s press secretary Geoff Morrell said: - I have not heard any alarm in this building about any proposed Russian build-up of its military…. Russia was perfectly entitled to a robust self-defence, Morrell told reporters.
