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COMBAT READINESS HAS BEEN INCREASED IN THE 'KAVKAZ-2012' EXERCISES
by Vladimir Mukhin
Nezavisimaya Gazeta
June 22 2012
Russia
The preparation of Russia and her allies for large-scale strategic
manoeuvres is entering into the active phase.
In the south of Russia and in Armenia - within the framework
of preparing for thestrategic command staff exercises (SKShU)
"Kavkaz-2012"of the Russian Army and "Vzaimodeystviye-2012"of
the Collective Security Treaty Organization (ODKB) - a series of
operational-tactical exercises has begun, in which the troops use
staff combat equipment and arms.
The exercises are considered planned exercises. However, all things
considered, they are directly prompted by the aggravation of economic,
geopolitical and military problems, which currently exist in the
Caspian area, in Iran and Syria, and also in connection with the
Karabakh conflict. According to a report from the press service of
the Southern Military District (YuVO), a tactical-specialist exercise
of the communications troops of the Southern Military District has
recently begun at the "Sernovodskiy" training ground in Stavropol Kray.
At these exercises tasks involving the concealed command of troops with
the use of modern information technology and radio technological means
will be perfected. They are preparing to perfect the combat training
tasks of the subunits of Russian troops deployed in South Ossetia,
Abkhazia, and also at the 102nd military base in Armenia.
Here, for example, the Russian troops are carrying out tasks that
take into account the plans developed in the Joint Staff of the ODKB,
and also in cooperation with the Armed Forces of Armenia, which are
also currently conducting preparatory exercises. Defence Minister of
Armenia SeyranOganyan recently announced that during the course of the
manoeuvres the troops will be brought to increased combat readiness.
Also, the necessary decrees are prepared for a transfer to martial
law, for conducting mobilization, and for repelling aggression. Also
prepared is an appeal by the President of the Republic of Armenia to
the leadership of the ODKB for assistance. Oganyan emphasized that
the national command staff exercises are connected with the design
of the manoeuvres of the Collective Rapid Response Forces (KSOR) of
"Vzaimodeystviye-2012" of the ODKB, which will take place in September
of this year, as will the "Kavkaz-2012" exercises.
The neighbouring countries of Azerbaijan and Georgia view such
military manoeuvres, during the course of which a transfer of Russian
airborne troops to Armenia is assumed, with wariness, to put it
mildly. Apparently, it is not by accident that the Russian Ministry
of Foreign Affairs, as early as April of this year, announced that
"Kavkaz-2012" will take place only on the territory of the Russian
Federation, though it did not deny the fact that "Vzaimodeystviye-2012"
is being organized under the flags of the ODKB and that representatives
of each country - the participants of this organization - are taking
part in the planning of these manoeuvres.
In this background, within the framework of the preparation for
the "Kavkaz-2012" strategic command staff exercise, the recent
military manoeuvres unfolding in the Caspian area look sufficiently
large-scale. As reported by Commander of the Caspian Flotilla Rear
Admiral Sergey Alekminskiy, during the course of the tactical test
exercises, in which 15 surface vessels will take part, a series
of tasks still have to be carried out involving the following:
"anti-submarine diversionary defence of a group of ships during
their stop in an unprotected raid; conducting air defence; and
conducting firing practice on air targets. Moreover, the boats have
to participate in an exercise involving a sea blockade of islands as
well as carry out artillery firing practice on discovered terrorist
bases(on so-called visible coastal targets)." Let us make note that
earlier in the exercises the ships of the flotilla perfected the
tasks of "protecting oil and gas extraction platforms."
Terrorists that capture drilling platformshave fortunately not been
seen in the zone of the Caspian. Although, it is well known that
one of the channels for drug trafficking from Afghanistan to Europe
goes through here. And there have been tussles between governments
over disputed areas of the sea and islands that are rich with energy
resources (between Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan, between Azerbaijan
and Iran). Russia has thus far found itself in the role of observer
in these matters. But possibly an observer that is powerful. This
means that the training exercises, which the ships of the Caspian
Flotilla are now perfecting, are fully valid. Although, as it has
been explained, the Russian military fleet is preparing for even
more large-scale tasks, using special forces, artillery, missiles,
and high-precision weapons.
According to the claim made by Rear Admiral Alekminskiy, in April of
this year the separate coastal missile division, which only in 2011
was deployed in the Caspian, successfully carried out for the first
time in the region missile firing practice by means of the "Bal-E"
coastal missile system with a launch of the "Uran" cruise missile at
a sea target. This modern high-precision weapon has a range of action
of up to 300 kilometres. In the subunits of the flotilla's marines an
anti-submarine diversionary detachment has been created, as well as
airborne-assault companies, which regularly undergo airborne training.
In the coming months in the Caspian new ships will be redeployed,
which will raise the combat capability of the flotilla even higher.
Among them will be the small artillery ship "Volgodonsk" and the
missile ship "Dagestan." The latter is armed with the "Kalibr-NK"
universal missile system, capable of employing several types of
high-precision missiles on surface targets as well as on coastal
targets at a range of up to 300 kilometres. It is not out of the
question that "Volgodonsk" and "Dagestan" will also be operational
in the "Kavkaz-2012"strategic command staff exercises.
Thus, the Russian military-political leadership is devoting significant
attention to the strengthening of the defence of the country in the
zone of the Caspian and the Caucasus. Of course there is no talk
about any kind of demilitarization of the area. Moscow intends to
defend its interests here by the most diverse of means, and to no
small degree with the help of force.
[translated from Russian]
by Vladimir Mukhin
Nezavisimaya Gazeta
June 22 2012
Russia
The preparation of Russia and her allies for large-scale strategic
manoeuvres is entering into the active phase.
In the south of Russia and in Armenia - within the framework
of preparing for thestrategic command staff exercises (SKShU)
"Kavkaz-2012"of the Russian Army and "Vzaimodeystviye-2012"of
the Collective Security Treaty Organization (ODKB) - a series of
operational-tactical exercises has begun, in which the troops use
staff combat equipment and arms.
The exercises are considered planned exercises. However, all things
considered, they are directly prompted by the aggravation of economic,
geopolitical and military problems, which currently exist in the
Caspian area, in Iran and Syria, and also in connection with the
Karabakh conflict. According to a report from the press service of
the Southern Military District (YuVO), a tactical-specialist exercise
of the communications troops of the Southern Military District has
recently begun at the "Sernovodskiy" training ground in Stavropol Kray.
At these exercises tasks involving the concealed command of troops with
the use of modern information technology and radio technological means
will be perfected. They are preparing to perfect the combat training
tasks of the subunits of Russian troops deployed in South Ossetia,
Abkhazia, and also at the 102nd military base in Armenia.
Here, for example, the Russian troops are carrying out tasks that
take into account the plans developed in the Joint Staff of the ODKB,
and also in cooperation with the Armed Forces of Armenia, which are
also currently conducting preparatory exercises. Defence Minister of
Armenia SeyranOganyan recently announced that during the course of the
manoeuvres the troops will be brought to increased combat readiness.
Also, the necessary decrees are prepared for a transfer to martial
law, for conducting mobilization, and for repelling aggression. Also
prepared is an appeal by the President of the Republic of Armenia to
the leadership of the ODKB for assistance. Oganyan emphasized that
the national command staff exercises are connected with the design
of the manoeuvres of the Collective Rapid Response Forces (KSOR) of
"Vzaimodeystviye-2012" of the ODKB, which will take place in September
of this year, as will the "Kavkaz-2012" exercises.
The neighbouring countries of Azerbaijan and Georgia view such
military manoeuvres, during the course of which a transfer of Russian
airborne troops to Armenia is assumed, with wariness, to put it
mildly. Apparently, it is not by accident that the Russian Ministry
of Foreign Affairs, as early as April of this year, announced that
"Kavkaz-2012" will take place only on the territory of the Russian
Federation, though it did not deny the fact that "Vzaimodeystviye-2012"
is being organized under the flags of the ODKB and that representatives
of each country - the participants of this organization - are taking
part in the planning of these manoeuvres.
In this background, within the framework of the preparation for
the "Kavkaz-2012" strategic command staff exercise, the recent
military manoeuvres unfolding in the Caspian area look sufficiently
large-scale. As reported by Commander of the Caspian Flotilla Rear
Admiral Sergey Alekminskiy, during the course of the tactical test
exercises, in which 15 surface vessels will take part, a series
of tasks still have to be carried out involving the following:
"anti-submarine diversionary defence of a group of ships during
their stop in an unprotected raid; conducting air defence; and
conducting firing practice on air targets. Moreover, the boats have
to participate in an exercise involving a sea blockade of islands as
well as carry out artillery firing practice on discovered terrorist
bases(on so-called visible coastal targets)." Let us make note that
earlier in the exercises the ships of the flotilla perfected the
tasks of "protecting oil and gas extraction platforms."
Terrorists that capture drilling platformshave fortunately not been
seen in the zone of the Caspian. Although, it is well known that
one of the channels for drug trafficking from Afghanistan to Europe
goes through here. And there have been tussles between governments
over disputed areas of the sea and islands that are rich with energy
resources (between Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan, between Azerbaijan
and Iran). Russia has thus far found itself in the role of observer
in these matters. But possibly an observer that is powerful. This
means that the training exercises, which the ships of the Caspian
Flotilla are now perfecting, are fully valid. Although, as it has
been explained, the Russian military fleet is preparing for even
more large-scale tasks, using special forces, artillery, missiles,
and high-precision weapons.
According to the claim made by Rear Admiral Alekminskiy, in April of
this year the separate coastal missile division, which only in 2011
was deployed in the Caspian, successfully carried out for the first
time in the region missile firing practice by means of the "Bal-E"
coastal missile system with a launch of the "Uran" cruise missile at
a sea target. This modern high-precision weapon has a range of action
of up to 300 kilometres. In the subunits of the flotilla's marines an
anti-submarine diversionary detachment has been created, as well as
airborne-assault companies, which regularly undergo airborne training.
In the coming months in the Caspian new ships will be redeployed,
which will raise the combat capability of the flotilla even higher.
Among them will be the small artillery ship "Volgodonsk" and the
missile ship "Dagestan." The latter is armed with the "Kalibr-NK"
universal missile system, capable of employing several types of
high-precision missiles on surface targets as well as on coastal
targets at a range of up to 300 kilometres. It is not out of the
question that "Volgodonsk" and "Dagestan" will also be operational
in the "Kavkaz-2012"strategic command staff exercises.
Thus, the Russian military-political leadership is devoting significant
attention to the strengthening of the defence of the country in the
zone of the Caspian and the Caucasus. Of course there is no talk
about any kind of demilitarization of the area. Moscow intends to
defend its interests here by the most diverse of means, and to no
small degree with the help of force.
[translated from Russian]