Soviet-era aircraft
carrier Admiral Kuznetsov. Russia wrapped up its 12-day joint
exercise between its Air Force and Navy in the Atlantic and Arctic
oceans Saturday, arousing concerns from NATO members and other
western countries.?
Russia wrapped up its 12-day joint exercise between its Air
Force and Navy in the Atlantic and Arctic oceans Saturday, arousing
concerns from NATO members and other western countries.
This is the first large-scale overseas drill by Russian fleets
and aircraft since the end of the Cold War, which shows the
country's military strength.
The exercise came when Russia has toughened its stance in
dealing with the West and the expansion of NATO.
The war game involved the Soviet-era aircraft carrier Admiral
Kuznetsov, flagship of the Black Sea Fleet the Moskva cruiser,
anti-submarine ships and dozens of strategic bombers, fighter jets
and airborne warning and control planes.
Moscow said there's no need for NATO – the US-led military bloc
that once rivals the Soviet Union – to enroll new members in
Eastern Europe since the Cold War has already ended.
Washington has fueled up Kremlin's worry after it unveiled plans
to deploy anti-ballistic missile systems in Eastern Europe by
deploying interceptor missiles in Poland and a radar station in the
Czech Republic.
Since Moscow's diplomatic efforts, including talks between
Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his US counterpart Condoleezza
Rice and defense ministers from the two nations last year, failed
to haul the US plans, Russian military's voice has grown
stronger.
Nikolai Solovtsov, commander of the Strategic Rocket Forces,
said last December that Russia's strategic missiles are capable of
passing through any existing and prospective missile defense
systems, including the one proposed by the United States for
Eastern Europe.
Solovtsov made the remark when Russia made several test-fires of
inter-continental ballistic missiles and issued the layouts of
submarines deployment, missiles and anti-missile systems deployment
in the country.
Yuri Baluyevsky, chief of the Armed Forces, said in mid-January
that Russia may use nuclear weapons pre-emptively if under serious
threat, underlining the tough stance of the military.
Russia also pledged to take anti-satellite missions if necessary
amid worries about the development of space weapons and the
militarization of the outer space where the United States enjoys a
remarkable advantage.
Analysts believe that Russia, by flexing its military muscle,
intends to show its determination and strength in dealing with the
West, so that it can win respect and cooperate with the West on an
equal footing, especially in such fields as anti-proliferation and
anti-terrorism.
Such moves are also believed to meet Russia's domestic political
need when First Deputy Minister Dmitry Medvedev is widely expected
to succeed the tough-to-west but popular President Vladimir Putin
after March 2 election, when the later is to step down due to
constitutional bar on a consecutive third term.
(Xinhua News Agency February 4, 2008)
