KIEV, Ukraine -- Ukrainian veterans of the 10-year Soviet Afghan war, angry about proposed cuts to payouts, snubbed President Viktor Yanukovich on Wednesday, turning their backs on him at a ceremony to mark the 23rd anniversary of the Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Veterans of the 1979-89 Soviet military campaign are furious about plans to cut pensions and subsidies as part of austerity measures aimed at reducing Ukraine's public deficit to secure further International Monetary Fund financing.
When Yanukovich arrived at a Kiev memorial site to lay a wreath to the war dead, a group of veterans, waiting in line, turned their backs to him on the parade command "About turn!".
They turned back again to face the monument after Yanukovich and members of the government had left.
"The President was the first to turn his back on us. We, in reply, turned our backsides on him," said one unnamed veteran, quoted by the New District news agency.
Ukraine's Afghan veterans are among the most active of interest groups protesting against austerity plans and proposed cuts to benefits.
Last September, scores of them clashed with police when they tried to storm the Ukrainian parliament and they have taken part in several public demonstrations since.
Showing posts with label Military. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Military. Show all posts
Saturday, 18 February 2012
Saturday, 11 February 2012
Russia and China chain the dogs of war
The diplomatic struggle due to the crisis in Syria on Sunday (5th) moved into a new phase after failing in a week of overwhelming pressure from western powers to achieve the fall of Syrian president, Bashar al-Assad.
Meanwhile, Syrian forces discovered two workshops for the manufacture of explosives
US/westerm global domination objectives were masked in a draft resolution expressing the support of the Security Council on a proposal from the Arab League in which the Syrian president would transfer the government as a first step to elections and other actions.
The maneuver was shot down on Saturday by the double veto of Russia and China against the document, discussed for eight days by 15 members of this body and subjected to constant changes that resulted in three different versions.
The pressure from western nations, headed by the United States, France and Britain, forced a special session of tense extraordinary sessions and the vote ended with the rejection of the text with 13 votes in favor and two opposed.
Washington, Paris and London were accompanied in their vote by the 13 delegation members of the Security Council: Germany, Portugal, India, Colombia, Guatemala, Morocco, Pakistan, South Africa, Togo and Azerbaijan.
n explaining his opposition to the initiative, the Russian ambassador to the UN, Vitaly Churkin, criticized the attempts by some members who want to force regime change in Syria.
The text constituted a bad sign for the conflict and efforts to advance a political solution, by not considering that opposition groups are largely responsible for the violence in that country, the diplomat stated.
In this sense, promoters of the resolution indicated their demand that the Syrian government withdraw its forces unilaterally, and leave the ground free for armed opposition groups to continue their violence.
Likewise he criticized "influential members of the international community who since the beginning of the Syrian crisis are undermining the possibility of a political solution and urging regime change, stoking the opposition against the authorities."
For their part, the chief representative of China, Li Baodong, backed Russian proposals to amend the text under discussion and lamented that the project has been submitted to a vote without taking them into account.
Beijing's ambassador reiterated the need to seek a political solution to the Syrian crisis through dialogue, to restore stability in that country.
"The idea of a regime change does not contribute to an arrangement, but it complicates the situation in a State of great importance for the Middle East region," he underlined.
Churkin and Li also executed the veto that their respective countries imposed last October to another western project directed against the government of Damascus.
After yesterday's vote, the Permanent Representative of Syria to the UN, Bashar Jaafari, argued that the promoters of the text tried to turn the United Nations, created as an instrument for peace, into a tool for war.
He also accused the west and some Arab countries of funding and supporting the armed opposition terrorist groups that are attempting to overthrow the government of al-Assad by force and violence.
"If those responsible for this situation stop instigating and financing these terrorists, Syria can solve the crisis by itself through political dialogue," he said.
The document vetoed by Russia and China would have imposed six demands on Syrian officials, including "the withdrawal of armed forces and security for the cities, villages and people and their return to their barracks."
It also called for free movement and full access to "all relevant institutions of the Arab League and Arab and international media to all parts of Syria to determine the truth about the situation on the ground and monitor incidents that occur."
After the veto from Russia and China, the UN secretary general, Ban Ki-moon, took advantage of the opportunity to side with the countries that supported the resolution and regretted that the Security Council had been unable to agree on the project that supported the Arab League.
He thought that the failure to approve the text "undermines the role of the UN and the international community when the Syrian authorities should hear a unified voice that calls for an immediate end to 'their violence' against the Syrian people. The Security Council has missed an opportunity to decide on a united action to help end the crisis," he insisted.
Nevertheless, Moscow announced yesterday that its foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, and Secretary of the National Security Council, Nikolai Patrushev, will travel next Tuesday to Damascus to meet with President al-Assad.
Perhaps this is the first movement of a new diplomatic battle between the promoters of a political solution and the instigators of regime change in that Arab country as occurred in Libya last October.
Meanwhile, Syrian forces discovered two workshops for the manufacture of explosives
US/westerm global domination objectives were masked in a draft resolution expressing the support of the Security Council on a proposal from the Arab League in which the Syrian president would transfer the government as a first step to elections and other actions.
The maneuver was shot down on Saturday by the double veto of Russia and China against the document, discussed for eight days by 15 members of this body and subjected to constant changes that resulted in three different versions.
The pressure from western nations, headed by the United States, France and Britain, forced a special session of tense extraordinary sessions and the vote ended with the rejection of the text with 13 votes in favor and two opposed.
Washington, Paris and London were accompanied in their vote by the 13 delegation members of the Security Council: Germany, Portugal, India, Colombia, Guatemala, Morocco, Pakistan, South Africa, Togo and Azerbaijan.
n explaining his opposition to the initiative, the Russian ambassador to the UN, Vitaly Churkin, criticized the attempts by some members who want to force regime change in Syria.
The text constituted a bad sign for the conflict and efforts to advance a political solution, by not considering that opposition groups are largely responsible for the violence in that country, the diplomat stated.
In this sense, promoters of the resolution indicated their demand that the Syrian government withdraw its forces unilaterally, and leave the ground free for armed opposition groups to continue their violence.
Likewise he criticized "influential members of the international community who since the beginning of the Syrian crisis are undermining the possibility of a political solution and urging regime change, stoking the opposition against the authorities."
For their part, the chief representative of China, Li Baodong, backed Russian proposals to amend the text under discussion and lamented that the project has been submitted to a vote without taking them into account.
Beijing's ambassador reiterated the need to seek a political solution to the Syrian crisis through dialogue, to restore stability in that country.
"The idea of a regime change does not contribute to an arrangement, but it complicates the situation in a State of great importance for the Middle East region," he underlined.
Churkin and Li also executed the veto that their respective countries imposed last October to another western project directed against the government of Damascus.
After yesterday's vote, the Permanent Representative of Syria to the UN, Bashar Jaafari, argued that the promoters of the text tried to turn the United Nations, created as an instrument for peace, into a tool for war.
He also accused the west and some Arab countries of funding and supporting the armed opposition terrorist groups that are attempting to overthrow the government of al-Assad by force and violence.
"If those responsible for this situation stop instigating and financing these terrorists, Syria can solve the crisis by itself through political dialogue," he said.
The document vetoed by Russia and China would have imposed six demands on Syrian officials, including "the withdrawal of armed forces and security for the cities, villages and people and their return to their barracks."
It also called for free movement and full access to "all relevant institutions of the Arab League and Arab and international media to all parts of Syria to determine the truth about the situation on the ground and monitor incidents that occur."
After the veto from Russia and China, the UN secretary general, Ban Ki-moon, took advantage of the opportunity to side with the countries that supported the resolution and regretted that the Security Council had been unable to agree on the project that supported the Arab League.
He thought that the failure to approve the text "undermines the role of the UN and the international community when the Syrian authorities should hear a unified voice that calls for an immediate end to 'their violence' against the Syrian people. The Security Council has missed an opportunity to decide on a united action to help end the crisis," he insisted.
Nevertheless, Moscow announced yesterday that its foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, and Secretary of the National Security Council, Nikolai Patrushev, will travel next Tuesday to Damascus to meet with President al-Assad.
Perhaps this is the first movement of a new diplomatic battle between the promoters of a political solution and the instigators of regime change in that Arab country as occurred in Libya last October.
Sunday, 1 January 2012
Azerbaijan Buys 95 Missiles From Ukraine
AKU, Azerbaijan -- Ukraine, which is one of the biggest arms producers in the post-soviet area, exported 2097 various missiles in 2005-2010.
According to the report of UN Register of Conventional Arms, Ukraine took the 2nd place after Russia in exporting various missiles and portable anti-aircraft missiles.
Ukraine exported the above-mentioned weapons to 11 countries.
China takes the 1st place in the list with 953 missiles, US is the 2nd (692 missiles).
Russia is the 3rd (100 missiles), Azerbaijan is the 4th (95 missiles), and Algeria is the 5th (76 missiles).
Besides, during the reporting period Ukraine sold 60 various and portable anti-aircraft missiles to Israel, 54 missiles to the United Kingdom, 50 missiles to Kazakhstan, 18 missiles to Belarus, 14 missiles to Italy, 9 to Slovakia.
During the reporting period Ukraine sold 64 R-27 “air-air” missiles, 3 9R129-1M and “Tochka-U” tactical missile complex, 18 9M36-1 “Strela-3” and 10 9P58M “Strela-3” portable anti-aircraft missile system to Azerbaijan.
According to the report of UN Register of Conventional Arms, Ukraine took the 2nd place after Russia in exporting various missiles and portable anti-aircraft missiles.
Ukraine exported the above-mentioned weapons to 11 countries.
China takes the 1st place in the list with 953 missiles, US is the 2nd (692 missiles).
Russia is the 3rd (100 missiles), Azerbaijan is the 4th (95 missiles), and Algeria is the 5th (76 missiles).
Besides, during the reporting period Ukraine sold 60 various and portable anti-aircraft missiles to Israel, 54 missiles to the United Kingdom, 50 missiles to Kazakhstan, 18 missiles to Belarus, 14 missiles to Italy, 9 to Slovakia.
During the reporting period Ukraine sold 64 R-27 “air-air” missiles, 3 9R129-1M and “Tochka-U” tactical missile complex, 18 9M36-1 “Strela-3” and 10 9P58M “Strela-3” portable anti-aircraft missile system to Azerbaijan.
Sunday, 27 November 2011
Russia and USA on verge of another Cold War
Russia will pull out from the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) and refuse from the steps in the field of disarmament, if the USA continues to build the missile defense system in Europe, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev stated in a televised address to the nation Wednesday.
According to Medvedev, Russia is going to deploy Iskander missile complexes in the west and in the south of the country. The systems will guarantee the total destruction of the European part of the air defense system.
In addition, Russia's new strategic ballistic missiles will be outfitted with advanced complexes to overcome the air defense system. The missiles will also have highly efficient warheads, Medvedev said.
The president ordered the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation to start elaborating the measures which, if necessary, would guarantee the destruction of informational and administering means of the air defense system.
The President also charged the Defense Ministry of Russia with putting the radar system in the Kaliningrad enclave in operation.
Medvedev emphasized that Russia was still prepared to continue the dialogue with the United States and NATO regarding the issue of missile defense. However, the president said, this cooperation must be conducted on the legal base, which would protect Russia's legal interests.
"We still have time to reach mutual understanding. Russia has political will in reaching necessary agreements, which may open a principally new page in our relations with the USA and the North Atlantic Alliance," Medvedev stated.
The Russian president is still certain that the creation of the joint missile defense system in Europe will give Russia and NATO opportunities for genuine strategic partnership. He reminded of his initiative of the sectoral missile defense system. Each side would be responsible for a certain sector, whereas cooperation would be based on the principles of equality, mutual confidence and predictability. However, Western partners have not demonstrated "serious readiness for moving in this direction," Medvedev noted.
Russia will not agree to take part in the missile defense program which would weaken the strategic potential of the country in several years. This program is currently being developed, Medvedev. "It's being implemented in Poland, Turkey, Romania, Spain, and they make us face the facts," the head of state said.
"They are not going to, at least for the time being, take account of our concerns about the architecture of the European missile defense system. They only tell us that their plans are not targeted against Russia. This is not against you, don't worry, they say - they want us to calm down," Medvedev stated.
According to the Russian president, such remarks can be heard on the level of executive power. "However, law-makers in several countries tell us directly - "this is all against you - keep that in mind." When we ask them to put that all on paper in the form of precise legal obligations, they say no," the president stressed out.
Russia and NATO agreed to cooperate on the project of the European missile defense system at the summit in Lisbon in November 2010. The talks reached a deadlock because the USA refused to guarantee that the air defense system in Europe would not be aimed against Russia.
Medvedev's unusually tough statements have not led to expected results. Official spokespeople for the US administration stated that they were not going to refuse from missile defense plans.
"Implementation of the New (Strategic Arms Reduction) Treaty is going well and we see no basis for threats to withdraw from it. We continue to believe that cooperation with Russia on missile defense can enhance the security of the United States, our allies in Europe and Russia, and we will continue to work with Russia to define the parameters of possible cooperation. However, in pursuing this cooperation, we will not in any way limit or change our deployment plans in Europe," Fox News quoted National Security Council spokesman Tommy Vietor as saying.
It is not ruled out that the positions of Moscow and Washington will shelve the missile defense talks at least before the spring of 2013, when the United States and Russia have new presidents. Experts say that the current state of affairs may seriously affect the reset of relations between the two countries.
Saturday, 5 November 2011
Russia creates women's army
Nowadays, women can serve in many armies of the world, and the Russian army is no exception. A second military school for women is to open in St. Petersburg after 2012. The first school for military women appeared in Moscow in 2008.
The Moscow school was opened for the daughters of the military men who served in remote garrisons. The school also welcomed the girls from single-parent and large families, as well as the daughters of deceased military men and participants of combat actions decorated with state honors.
The girls study school subjects, military subjects and three foreign languages. The students of the Moscow military school for girls also learn how to dance and sing, play musical instruments, make sculptures and paint.
The positive experience of the first educational military institution for girls prompted the creation of another school in the country - in St. Petersburg. All the graduates of the Moscow military school entered colleges.
Igor Kartashov, a Candidate of Military Sciences, believes that the question of women in the army is not new for Russia at all.
"In tsarist Russia, women were not allowed for army service. Women were only allowed to perform their natural function during those times - motherhood. There were only several women, who took their gender as a mistake of nature, and tried to enter the army service under the guise of men. At the end of the 18th century, Sasha Tikhomirova commanded the company of uhlans by the name of her brother Alexander. Tikhomirova had served in the cavalry for 15 years. The first female officer in Russia, the daughter of Hussars captain of cavalry, Nadezhda Durova, joined the army in 1807 by the male name of Sokolov.
"For the first time in world history, women were allowed to serve in the army just like men, without any professional restrictions, in Canada. It happened in 1895. Russian women could get such a right only if they passed themselves off as men. For example, Olga Shidlovskaya, a hussar, served as Oleg Shidlovsky. Antonina Palshina, a holder of two St. George's Crosses, was serving as Anton Palshin.
"Russian women would find themselves in the army during the times of the Civil War and the Great Patriotic War. They mostly served as nurses, radio operators and typewriters. Many women served as snipers and pilots.
"After the war, women continued their army service on their previous positions, but the quantity of military women reduced considerably. After the breakup of the USSR, Russian officials decided that Russia should not lag behind Western Europe when it comes to the number of women in the army.
"Many women responded to the initiative. As a result, one may say that the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation are made of women on the level of ten percent. Russia has thus achieved the level of the countries of Western Europe at this point.
"Many women in the army already hold military titles. Some of them even serve as generals. In 2008, Vladimir Putin signed a decree, which gave an opportunity for underage women to study at Suvorov schools and "Nakhimov naval schools.
"As for women being the weaker sex, they are only physically weaker than men. However, they compensate the lack of physical strength with discipline and high skills. Women are more enduring than men. For example, the record for swimming the longest distance belongs to a woman. In addition, they are more stress-resistant than men. Women have mastered all civil professions and occupations that traditionally belonged to men. Now they want to serve in the army and there is nothing surprising about it.
"In 2009, President Medvedev supported the experiment to welcome the weaker sex in military schools. Twenty women became the students of the well-known airborne military school in Ryazan. The president had a special meeting with the new students. He said that if women wanted to serve in the army, then one should create all necessary conditions for it. If women are interested in it, then the army could only benefit from it."
Russia's new ICBM about to materialize
Russia conducted a successful launch of Bulava intercontinental ballistic missile on Friday morning. It was the third launch of the new ICBM this year. Two more launches are required to pass Bulava into service. The two launches need to be successful to let this happen.
The tests of the Bulava missile continue for seven years already. Today's launch has become the 17th - since 2004. Ten of these launches were successful. The first three launches were successful. The following three - in 2006 - ended with failures.
The launches at the end of 2008 and 2009 led to negative results too. Soon afterwards, Russian and foreign media started saying that the country was supposedly no longer capable of building ICBMs. Specialists urged everyone not to come to such conclusions. They said that the tests were conducted to find out the flaws which would then be removed.
In 2010, all the launches of the new missile ended successfully. Officials with the defense ministry said that it would be possible to pass Bulava into service after five successful launches. Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov stated after the tests in July that one could already launch the serial production of Bulava.
The skeptics, who declared Bulava an "unsuccessful project," do not say anything now.
Today's launch was conducted from the Yuri Dolgoruky nuclear submarine.
"The missile was launched from under the water in the White Sea, near Kamchatka peninsula. The flight of the missile was conducted as planned. The warheads arrived to the range ground on time," official spokesman for Russia's Defense Ministry Igor Konashenkov said.
The sea-based intercontinental ballistic missile R-30 Bulava (RSM-56) is a three-stage hard fuel missile. The missile is equipped with the dispensing warhead. The warheads of the missile are capable of changing the altitude of the flight trajectory. They can strike the targets at a distance of up to 9,000 kilometers. The power of each warhead makes up 100-150 kilotons.
Yuri Dolgoruky nuclear cruiser is a Borei class submarine, project 955. The construction of the submarine began in 1996. The submarine currently goes through the process of tests. The submarine is going to be passed into service together with Bulava.
Sunday, 23 October 2011
U.S. Missile Cruiser Visits Ukraine’s Sevastopol Port
SEVASTOPOL, Ukraine -- A U.S. missile cruiser arrived on Friday in the Ukrainian port of Sevastopol on an official visit which local authorities tried to kept secret to avoid protests, a source in the Sevastopol port said.
USS Philippine Sea (CG-58) had to wait for several hours before entering the Sevastopol harbor to skip an “unwelcome reception” by the crowds of protesters who had been gathered at the port since early morning.
“In order to avoid protests, the city authorities kept the timing of the visit a secret."
"The American officials will hold several meetings with their Ukrainian colleagues, but no major exercises are scheduled,” the source said.
Locals in Ukraine's Crimea, which has a largely Russian-speaking population, frequently protest against visits by NATO ships as Sevastopol also hosts the main headquarters and the base of the Russian Black Sea Fleet.
Philippine Sea is a Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser equipped with the Aegis combat system and 26 Tomahawk cruise missiles.
It is one of the U.S. warships being deployed in the Mediterranean as part of the Phased Adaptive Approach program designed to shape the European segment of the U.S.-led project to build a global missile defense network.
The Philippine Sea has earlier made a stop at the Georgian port of Batumi for exercises with the Georgian coast guard ships.
“In order to avoid protests, the city authorities kept the timing of the visit a secret."
"The American officials will hold several meetings with their Ukrainian colleagues, but no major exercises are scheduled,” the source said.
Locals in Ukraine's Crimea, which has a largely Russian-speaking population, frequently protest against visits by NATO ships as Sevastopol also hosts the main headquarters and the base of the Russian Black Sea Fleet.
Philippine Sea is a Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser equipped with the Aegis combat system and 26 Tomahawk cruise missiles.
It is one of the U.S. warships being deployed in the Mediterranean as part of the Phased Adaptive Approach program designed to shape the European segment of the U.S.-led project to build a global missile defense network.
The Philippine Sea has earlier made a stop at the Georgian port of Batumi for exercises with the Georgian coast guard ships.
Sunday, 11 September 2011
Ukraine Says Ready To Loan Naval Pilot Training Facilities To Russia
KIEV, Ukraine -- The Ukrainian Defense Ministry is willing to loan Russia facilities on Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula for naval pilot training, Defense Minister Mykhailo Yezhel said.
Russian Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov formally asked his Ukrainian counterpart to rent the Nitka facilities on a permanent basis.
“I think it would be better to rent the [Nitka] facilities out to Russia so that the Russian side takes over the upkeep while the [Ukrainian] support personnel continues to work at the facility,” Yezhel said at a news briefing on Friday.
“The final decision must be taken at the highest political level,” the minister said. “We will wait and see.”
According to Russian estimates, the rent of the Nitka Center would cost Russia about $700,000 annually.
The facility was built in the Soviet era for pilots to practice their skills in taking off from and landing on an aircraft carrier's deck.
After the collapse of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s, the facility remained under Ukrainian jurisdiction.
The Ukrainian Navy does not have an aircraft carrier.
The center provides naval aviation training facilities such as a launch pad, an aerofinisher, a trampoline, a catapult launching device, a glide-path localizer, a marker beacon, and an optical landing system.
Russia, which has only one aircraft carrier - the Admiral Kuznetsov - is aiming to finish drafting plans for a new nuclear-powered aircraft carrier for its Navy by 2012 and build at least three of the ships for its Northern and Pacific fleets.
In line with a 1997 bilateral agreement, Russia occasionally uses the Nitka Naval Pilot Training Center in Ukraine as the only training facility for its naval pilots.
Russian Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov formally asked his Ukrainian counterpart to rent the Nitka facilities on a permanent basis.
“I think it would be better to rent the [Nitka] facilities out to Russia so that the Russian side takes over the upkeep while the [Ukrainian] support personnel continues to work at the facility,” Yezhel said at a news briefing on Friday.
“The final decision must be taken at the highest political level,” the minister said. “We will wait and see.”
According to Russian estimates, the rent of the Nitka Center would cost Russia about $700,000 annually.
The facility was built in the Soviet era for pilots to practice their skills in taking off from and landing on an aircraft carrier's deck.
After the collapse of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s, the facility remained under Ukrainian jurisdiction.
The Ukrainian Navy does not have an aircraft carrier.
The center provides naval aviation training facilities such as a launch pad, an aerofinisher, a trampoline, a catapult launching device, a glide-path localizer, a marker beacon, and an optical landing system.
Russia, which has only one aircraft carrier - the Admiral Kuznetsov - is aiming to finish drafting plans for a new nuclear-powered aircraft carrier for its Navy by 2012 and build at least three of the ships for its Northern and Pacific fleets.
Mystery of the Kursk still unsolved 11 years later
Many catastrophes occur to the Russian navy in August. The Kursk submarine sank on August 12, 2000, the K-159 nuclear submarine sank on August 30, 2003, the AS-28 submersible survived a serious breakdown on August 7, 2005. The Kursk sank eleven years ago, but the mystery of its death still remains unsolved.
People still discuss the Kursk tragedy on the Internet. Two years after the tragedy, Pravda.Ru was the first Russian online publication to have published excerpts from the analytical note written by Russian conceptual scientists. The note contained unexpected conclusions about the reasons of the Kursk death. Rumor has it that the note attracted attention of top officials of the Russian administration, although they showed no reaction to it, of course.
In the note, the scientists attempted to collect evidence to prove that the Russian submarine sank as a result of the so-called combat collision with a foreign sub. In other words, the version says that the Kursk died in a torpedo attack. There were several photos published on the Internet showing that the edges of the external hull of the Kursk were caved in, but not out, as it would have been in case of an internal torpedo explosion. French film makers even made a documentary on the subject.This version seems shocking even eleven years after the tragedy. No one has ever rebutted this version officially. Pravda.Ru asked an expert opinion from Sergei Aprelev, a well-known historian and publicist, about the most horrific version of the death of the Kursk.
"According to the authors of that research, a NATO submarine intercepted a message from surface vessels saying that there would be torpedo attacks conducted against underwater targets. The NATO submarine obtained the message prior to the arrival of Russia's Kursk in the area of the military exercises.
According to various sources, there were two US nuclear submarines - the Memphis and the Toledo - staying in the area of the drills. The subs were conducting the traditional surveillance over the Russian vessels. The commanders of NATO submarines announced combat readiness. Unfortunately, the commander of the Kursk could not know that there was a foreign sub staying in the area. According to the plan of the drills, the Kursk commander launched a torpedo. Unfortunately, this is a law of the underwater war: if someone fires a torpedo at you, you are supposed to fire back immediately because there is no other choice.
"In this case, as the authors of the analytical note said, the Russian torpedo was fired in the direction of a foreign submarine. The Americans prefer to launch four torpedoes at once - this is the practice that they have had since WWII. One of those torpedoes was a simulating one, which intercepted the Russian torpedo and took it towards a NATO sub.
"The Kursk commander was informed that there were three torpedoes going in his direction, so he decided to escape the attack. Everything was happening not so fast as he would like to because the Kursk was a very large and not a very maneuverable sub. The first torpedo struck the vessel in the bottom of the second compartment, having left peculiar traces on the hull.
"Most likely, the authors of the research say, it was the torpedo impact that triggered the tragedy. The basic air pipes were damaged in the attack. The Kursk was surfacing, so the submarine had its ballast being scavenged. The third torpedo was going along the deck and didn't cause much damage. The torpedo destroyed itself afterwards.
"The Kursk lost a lot of its air and went down by the head. The fourth torpedo struck the sub after the Kursk hit the bottom of the sea. When the commander of the NATO sub realized what happened, he ordered to release surface buoys, went to the maximum depth and left the area of the drills at a slow speed.
"Some time later, a fishing boat found entered the area of the drills incidentally and liquidated the signal buoys. The commander of the X submarine had done all that automatically.
"This is a brief summary of that review about the Kursk death. Any version has a right for existence as far as the death of the Kursk is concerned. However, no one has ever tried to disprove this version officially, which makes you think that this version could be true.
Wednesday, 3 August 2011
Russia and North America join anti-terror air drills
The Russian Air Force and NORAD, the US and Canadian joint air defense command, will hold a second round of anti-terrorism exercises this month.
“The main aim of the drills is to improve the Russian Air Force’s and NORAD’s capabilities for fighting terrorism in the air,” Igor Muginov, the Commander-in-Chief of the Eastern military district, said on Monday.
The Aug. 8-11 exercises will include airborne early warning and control (AWACS) and refueling aircraft, and combat aircraft.
The first Russian-NORAD joint anti-terrorism drills, dubbed Vigilant Eagle, took place in 2010.
Sunday, 24 July 2011
Dog food' major states his case in Vladivostok
Yury Matveyev, the ‘dog food’ major and whistleblower, started more court proceedings today as a Vladivostok court session opened libel proceedings against him.
Matveyev remains defiant as the court cases stack up, a criminal case got under way on Tuesday at which Matveyev faces charges of assaulting one of his soldiers.
A civil suit which got under way on Friday refutes his Youtube claims that soldiers were fed dog food as corruption was given free rein at a military base in Russia’s far east.
Plaintiffs want Matveyev to apologize and withdraw his claims, Alexei Borovitsky, head of the Eastern Regional Command of Internal Troops of Russia press service, told RIA Novosti. Borovitsky says that three audits have shown that soldiers were not fed pet food.
This flies in the face of another investigation which confirmed many of Matveyev’s allegations but said that they had happened a long time beforehand, that they had been dealt with, and that proceedings were already underway.
An audit in April uncovered $1 million of stolen food at a warehouse in the region, including the tinned beef which was allegedly swapped with dog food.
Matveyev is not giving an inch. “I will not deny what I said and intend to prove the truth of what I said in court,” he told journalists before the court convened in Vladivostok’s Sovetsky district.
The embattled major is already fending off accusations that he kicked a warrant officer in the face as he did press-ups, after he had summoned him to his office.
Matveyev says that witnesses lined up against him had been encouraged with a mixture of threats and inducments and that one of his own witnesses had been intimidated and beaten.
Russia calls for missile partnership
Russia wants to be a real partner in NATO’s controversial European missile shield, not just a passive observer.
Dmitry Rogozin, Moscow’s ambassador to the alliance, stated the country’s position in an interview with the Washington Post.
And he complained that the proposed US scheme was disproportionate, saying the Americans wanted to shoot rabbits with a weapon intended to battle with a bear
Saturday, 21 May 2011
Ukraine Seeks Talks With Romania, U.S. On Missile Shield
BUCHAREST, Romania -- Ukraine is seeking consultations with Bucharest and Washington on the proposed deployment of U.S. missile interceptors in Romania, Foreign Minister Kostyantyn Gryshchenko said May 18.
In the context of the steps taken to consolidate security, we think that the aim should be to reinforce security of Europe as a whole and to take into account all political aspects of this issue," Gryshchenko told a press conference in Bucharest.
"We are interested in having consultations with both our Romanian and our American partners," he added.
Ukraine shares a 300-mile border with Romania.
Bucharest and Washington two weeks ago concluded talks on the deployment of 24 missile interceptors in a former airbase in southern Romania, Deveselu.
They insisted they would be part of a purely defensive system.
But the agreement angered Moscow, which said it would seek legal guarantees that the United States does not intend to deploy a missile defense system aimed at its strategic nuclear forces.
On May 18, President Dmitry Medvedev warned the West it would face a new Cold War if it failed to address Russia's concerns over this issue.
Medvedev told reporters that the U.S. decision to push ahead with construction of the defense system despite Russia's objections will force Moscow "to take retaliatory measures - something that we would very much rather not do."
In the context of the steps taken to consolidate security, we think that the aim should be to reinforce security of Europe as a whole and to take into account all political aspects of this issue," Gryshchenko told a press conference in Bucharest.
"We are interested in having consultations with both our Romanian and our American partners," he added.
Ukraine shares a 300-mile border with Romania.
Bucharest and Washington two weeks ago concluded talks on the deployment of 24 missile interceptors in a former airbase in southern Romania, Deveselu.
They insisted they would be part of a purely defensive system.
But the agreement angered Moscow, which said it would seek legal guarantees that the United States does not intend to deploy a missile defense system aimed at its strategic nuclear forces.
On May 18, President Dmitry Medvedev warned the West it would face a new Cold War if it failed to address Russia's concerns over this issue.
Medvedev told reporters that the U.S. decision to push ahead with construction of the defense system despite Russia's objections will force Moscow "to take retaliatory measures - something that we would very much rather not do."
Sunday, 17 April 2011
U.S. Helps Ukraine Get Rid Of Scud Missiles
WASHINGTON, DC -- The United States said Wednesday it helped Ukraine destroy a stockpile of 185 surface-to-surface Scud missile systems.
"Over 185 Scud missile airframes and 50 transporter-erector-launchers were destroyed or demilitarized," State Department spokesman Mark Toner said.
Some "1,441 tons of Scud missile liquid oxidizer fuel that posed an environmental and safety threat to Ukraine's population also is being eliminated."
The work was financed by the Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Fund, established in 1994 to take advantage of opportunities to help countries disarm.
"Over 185 Scud missile airframes and 50 transporter-erector-launchers were destroyed or demilitarized," State Department spokesman Mark Toner said.
Some "1,441 tons of Scud missile liquid oxidizer fuel that posed an environmental and safety threat to Ukraine's population also is being eliminated."
The work was financed by the Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Fund, established in 1994 to take advantage of opportunities to help countries disarm.
Saturday, 12 February 2011
Secret Agents At Their Worst
KIEV, Ukraine -- Ukraine stands to lose billions is arms sales to Iraq because of accusations that the first deliveries consisted of sub-standard equipment.
But it also appears that insufficient bribes were paid to "agents" who had considerable influence within the Iraqi Defense Ministry.
It also appears that sufficient bribes were not paid on the Ukrainian end either. Intense negotiations are underway.
Since the Cold War ended in 1991, Ukrainian arms manufacturers have been scrambling for orders.
Previous customers (Soviet Union and communist nations in Eastern Europe) had stopped buying.
Many Ukrainian weapons manufacturers did not survive the 1990s, and those who did, learned to do whatever it takes to make a sale.
Unless this mess, and the attendant corruption, can be cleared up, these Iraqi deals may collapse, while several hundred million dollars will disappear in the process.
Over the last three years, in deals brokered by the United States, Ukraine received orders from Iraq for $2.4 billion worth of weapons.
Most of these items were of Russian design, which many Iraqi military personnel are familiar with. Ukraine has, and still manufactures, lots of Russian designed weapons.
Ukraine split from the Soviet Union (and Russia) in 1991 when the Soviet Union was dissolved.
Many Soviet weapons plants were in Ukraine, as well as huge quantities of military equipment.
That's because Ukraine was the forward staging area for Soviet forces that were to invade Western Europe, or defend against NATO. Ukraine inherited whatever was on its territory when the dissolution took place.
Ukraine has kept some of those weapons plants going by becoming the low-cost provider of new Russian designed weapons (and now much of those have been updated by Ukrainian engineers.)
While friendly with the United States, Ukraine has also cultivated good relations with China, by quietly sending the Chinese examples of advanced Soviet weapons (including some that never went into mass production).
Ukraine wants to be on good terms with the U.S. and China because of the fear that Russian will try to make Ukraine, once more, part of Russia.
This first happened in the 17th century, and the Ukrainians never got used to it.
Actually, Ukraine had been dismembered before that by Poles, Lithuanians and Mongols.
Thus Ukraine is enjoying its first period of real independence in over 500 years.
They want to keep it that way, any way they can.
But it also appears that insufficient bribes were paid to "agents" who had considerable influence within the Iraqi Defense Ministry.
It also appears that sufficient bribes were not paid on the Ukrainian end either. Intense negotiations are underway.
Since the Cold War ended in 1991, Ukrainian arms manufacturers have been scrambling for orders.
Previous customers (Soviet Union and communist nations in Eastern Europe) had stopped buying.
Many Ukrainian weapons manufacturers did not survive the 1990s, and those who did, learned to do whatever it takes to make a sale.
Unless this mess, and the attendant corruption, can be cleared up, these Iraqi deals may collapse, while several hundred million dollars will disappear in the process.
Over the last three years, in deals brokered by the United States, Ukraine received orders from Iraq for $2.4 billion worth of weapons.
Most of these items were of Russian design, which many Iraqi military personnel are familiar with. Ukraine has, and still manufactures, lots of Russian designed weapons.
Ukraine split from the Soviet Union (and Russia) in 1991 when the Soviet Union was dissolved.
Many Soviet weapons plants were in Ukraine, as well as huge quantities of military equipment.
That's because Ukraine was the forward staging area for Soviet forces that were to invade Western Europe, or defend against NATO. Ukraine inherited whatever was on its territory when the dissolution took place.
Ukraine has kept some of those weapons plants going by becoming the low-cost provider of new Russian designed weapons (and now much of those have been updated by Ukrainian engineers.)
While friendly with the United States, Ukraine has also cultivated good relations with China, by quietly sending the Chinese examples of advanced Soviet weapons (including some that never went into mass production).
Ukraine wants to be on good terms with the U.S. and China because of the fear that Russian will try to make Ukraine, once more, part of Russia.
This first happened in the 17th century, and the Ukrainians never got used to it.
Actually, Ukraine had been dismembered before that by Poles, Lithuanians and Mongols.
Thus Ukraine is enjoying its first period of real independence in over 500 years.
They want to keep it that way, any way they can.
Sunday, 23 January 2011
Yanukovych: Ukraine Will Restore Its Combat Capability
KIEV, Ukraine -- Ukraine should create new national armed forces, President Viktor Yanukovych said on Saturday at a grand meeting on the occasion of Ukrainian Unity Day.
"Our task is to create new national armed forces practically, as they say, from scratch," the presidential press service quoted him as saying.
Yanukovych said that the state would worry about military security, raising the social status of servicemen, reviving morale, forming a qualitatively new army structure, modernizing weapons and adapting a military doctrine to the challenges of the modern world.
"We will strengthen the power of our defense potential. We will resume investment in the development of the scientific, technological and personnel component of the military and industrial complex," the president said.
"Our task is to create new national armed forces practically, as they say, from scratch," the presidential press service quoted him as saying.
Yanukovych said that the state would worry about military security, raising the social status of servicemen, reviving morale, forming a qualitatively new army structure, modernizing weapons and adapting a military doctrine to the challenges of the modern world.
"We will strengthen the power of our defense potential. We will resume investment in the development of the scientific, technological and personnel component of the military and industrial complex," the president said.
Tuesday, 4 January 2011
Obama Praises Ukraine For Removing Nuke Materials
WASHINGTON, DC -- President Obama lauded Ukraine for moving a big part of its stockpile of highly enriched uranium to Russia for disposal, part of a deal with the United States to reduce the threat of nuclear terrorism.
Obama's statement:
"I congratulate President (Viktor) Yanukovych on the recent shipment of highly enriched uranium from Ukraine for secure disposal in Russia, which advances a top priority for my administration and for global security.
This action brings us all one step closer to securing all vulnerable nuclear materials, as President Yanukovych and I and 45 other world leaders pledged to do this April at the Nuclear Security Summit.
The low enriched uranium and nuclear safety equipment provided to Ukraine in connection with this shipment will support Ukraine's development of safe and secure nuclear energy.
These actions represent continued Ukrainian leadership in making sure that nuclear weapons never fall into the hands of a terrorist, and working toward a world without nuclear weapons."
Obama's statement:
"I congratulate President (Viktor) Yanukovych on the recent shipment of highly enriched uranium from Ukraine for secure disposal in Russia, which advances a top priority for my administration and for global security.
This action brings us all one step closer to securing all vulnerable nuclear materials, as President Yanukovych and I and 45 other world leaders pledged to do this April at the Nuclear Security Summit.
The low enriched uranium and nuclear safety equipment provided to Ukraine in connection with this shipment will support Ukraine's development of safe and secure nuclear energy.
These actions represent continued Ukrainian leadership in making sure that nuclear weapons never fall into the hands of a terrorist, and working toward a world without nuclear weapons."
Tuesday, 14 December 2010
WikiLeaks Confirms Russian Tanks Aboard Hijacked Ship Were Bound For South Sudan
EDINBURGH, Scotland -- The WikiLeaks whistleblower website has confirmed as true a Sunday Herald investigation that found dozens of Russian-made tanks aboard a ship hijacked by Somali pirates were destined for clandestine delivery to the army of the autonomous Government of South Sudan.
Having taken the Ukrainian ship, the MV Faina, in September 2008, the pirates were shocked to find aboard 33 Russian-made T-72 tanks, 42 anti-aircraft guns and more than 800 tonnes of ammunition.
The Kenyan government quickly condemned the hijacking of the Faina, saying that its destination was the port of Mombasa and that the tanks had been bought for use by the Kenyan Army.
A Sunday Herald investigation found that there were very few good guys in the saga. The tanks, in addition to at least 67 previously shipped, were in fact destined for delivery to the Government of South Sudan, which put it in breach of Sudan’s 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement that ended a 21-year civil war between north and south in which more than 2 million people died.
Classified US State Department cables published by WikiLeaks show not only that the Sunday Herald’s information was right as regards the tanks’ actual destination, but that Washington had encouraged the delivery of weapons to South Sudan even though it was the main guarantor of the peace agreement.
The WikiLeaks revelations about US-approved weapons deliveries come at one of the most delicate times in the history of Sudan.
The nation, Africa’s largest, is on the verge of splitting in two. Black African Southern Sudanese, mainly animists and Christians, are scheduled to vote on January 9 in a referendum for their independence from northern Sudan, which is dominated by Muslim Arabs.
If things go wrong, world governments fear Sudan could once more tip over into civil war.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has described the situation in advance of the historic referendum as “a ticking time bomb”.
The WikiLeaks documents show that an extraordinary row broke out between the United States government and the governments of Kenya and Ukraine following the hijacking of the Faina and the revelation of the secret weapons shipment.
Despite its secret approval of previous weapons deliveries via Kenya to South Sudan, it appears that the Washington administration began to lose its nerve as the affair became public and threatened “sweeping sanctions” against both Kenya and Ukraine, asserting that the tank deliveries were illegal.
The Kenyans were deeply angered and “very confused” by the threats from President Barack Obama’s administration, according to the leaked State Department cables, “since the past transfers had been undertaken in consultation with the United States.”
The American ambassador to Kenya, Michael Ranneberger, was given the impossible task of reprimanding the Kenyans despite the fact that the weapons deliveries were carried out with the full knowledge of Washington.
The cables said the American flip-flop “led to a commotion on the Ukrainian side”.
In a story worthy of John Le Carré, the Sunday Herald’s investigation, showed that the owner of the Faina – which had at least three previous names and was registered in Belize – is a Ukraine-based Israeli named Vadim Alperin, who has links to Mossad, Israel’s intelligence agency, and Mossad agents front companies in Kenya.
Alperin and the chief of Ukraine’s foreign intelligence service, Mykola Malomuzh, together met the Faina when it arrived in Mombasa after the United States 5th Fleet surrounded the vessel and the pirates settled for a minimal $2 million ransom, paid in dollar bills and parachuted on to the Faina’s deck from a light aircraft.
The cables indicate that the first US-approved delivery of Russian tanks via Ukraine and Kenya to South Sudan took place in 2007.
Before the Faina was hijacked, at least 67 T-72s had already been delivered to the South Sudan government in Juba.
In the northern city of Khartoum, capital of united Sudan, Ghazi Salah al-Din al-Atabani, one of President Omar Hassan al-Bashir’s top advisers, chuckled as he told a correspondent from the New York Times: “We knew it [American involvement in the delivery of tanks to the South] – yeah, we knew it.”
The Sunday Herald also revealed that Khartoum had kept quiet about South Sudan’s armaments acquisitions because it was itself in breach of an international arms embargo in relation to the separate conflict in the western province of Darfur, for which President al-Bashir has been indicted for genocide by The Hague-based International Criminal Court.
Given its problems with Darfur and the ICC, it was in the interests of the al-Bashir government to stay silent.
The leaked cables show the United States’ top diplomat in Khartoum, Alberto Fernandez, advising Washington that in the case of any future clandestine tank deliveries to South Sudan it should avoid a repeat hijacking by Somali pirates and “the attention it has drawn.”
The tanks from the Faina remain parked in a Kenyan army barracks near Nairobi.
Having taken the Ukrainian ship, the MV Faina, in September 2008, the pirates were shocked to find aboard 33 Russian-made T-72 tanks, 42 anti-aircraft guns and more than 800 tonnes of ammunition.
The Kenyan government quickly condemned the hijacking of the Faina, saying that its destination was the port of Mombasa and that the tanks had been bought for use by the Kenyan Army.
A Sunday Herald investigation found that there were very few good guys in the saga. The tanks, in addition to at least 67 previously shipped, were in fact destined for delivery to the Government of South Sudan, which put it in breach of Sudan’s 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement that ended a 21-year civil war between north and south in which more than 2 million people died.
Classified US State Department cables published by WikiLeaks show not only that the Sunday Herald’s information was right as regards the tanks’ actual destination, but that Washington had encouraged the delivery of weapons to South Sudan even though it was the main guarantor of the peace agreement.
The WikiLeaks revelations about US-approved weapons deliveries come at one of the most delicate times in the history of Sudan.
The nation, Africa’s largest, is on the verge of splitting in two. Black African Southern Sudanese, mainly animists and Christians, are scheduled to vote on January 9 in a referendum for their independence from northern Sudan, which is dominated by Muslim Arabs.
If things go wrong, world governments fear Sudan could once more tip over into civil war.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has described the situation in advance of the historic referendum as “a ticking time bomb”.
The WikiLeaks documents show that an extraordinary row broke out between the United States government and the governments of Kenya and Ukraine following the hijacking of the Faina and the revelation of the secret weapons shipment.
Despite its secret approval of previous weapons deliveries via Kenya to South Sudan, it appears that the Washington administration began to lose its nerve as the affair became public and threatened “sweeping sanctions” against both Kenya and Ukraine, asserting that the tank deliveries were illegal.
The Kenyans were deeply angered and “very confused” by the threats from President Barack Obama’s administration, according to the leaked State Department cables, “since the past transfers had been undertaken in consultation with the United States.”
The American ambassador to Kenya, Michael Ranneberger, was given the impossible task of reprimanding the Kenyans despite the fact that the weapons deliveries were carried out with the full knowledge of Washington.
The cables said the American flip-flop “led to a commotion on the Ukrainian side”.
In a story worthy of John Le Carré, the Sunday Herald’s investigation, showed that the owner of the Faina – which had at least three previous names and was registered in Belize – is a Ukraine-based Israeli named Vadim Alperin, who has links to Mossad, Israel’s intelligence agency, and Mossad agents front companies in Kenya.
Alperin and the chief of Ukraine’s foreign intelligence service, Mykola Malomuzh, together met the Faina when it arrived in Mombasa after the United States 5th Fleet surrounded the vessel and the pirates settled for a minimal $2 million ransom, paid in dollar bills and parachuted on to the Faina’s deck from a light aircraft.
The cables indicate that the first US-approved delivery of Russian tanks via Ukraine and Kenya to South Sudan took place in 2007.
Before the Faina was hijacked, at least 67 T-72s had already been delivered to the South Sudan government in Juba.
In the northern city of Khartoum, capital of united Sudan, Ghazi Salah al-Din al-Atabani, one of President Omar Hassan al-Bashir’s top advisers, chuckled as he told a correspondent from the New York Times: “We knew it [American involvement in the delivery of tanks to the South] – yeah, we knew it.”
The Sunday Herald also revealed that Khartoum had kept quiet about South Sudan’s armaments acquisitions because it was itself in breach of an international arms embargo in relation to the separate conflict in the western province of Darfur, for which President al-Bashir has been indicted for genocide by The Hague-based International Criminal Court.
Given its problems with Darfur and the ICC, it was in the interests of the al-Bashir government to stay silent.
The leaked cables show the United States’ top diplomat in Khartoum, Alberto Fernandez, advising Washington that in the case of any future clandestine tank deliveries to South Sudan it should avoid a repeat hijacking by Somali pirates and “the attention it has drawn.”
The tanks from the Faina remain parked in a Kenyan army barracks near Nairobi.
Saturday, 11 December 2010
Ukraine ‘Ceases’ Arms Sales To Burma
NORWAY, Oslo -- A leaked 2009 cable from the US embassy in Kiev says that Washington successfully petitioned the Ukrainian government to stop selling arms to the Burmese military.
“[Ukraine] had received the US demarche and was no longer exporting weapons to Burma”, said the 11 September 2009 cable, released on Monday by the whistleblower website, Wikileaks.
The Ukrainians have had a solid arms dealing history with Burma, described in the cable as “deliberate Ukrainian government actions that are contrary to US philosophy on exports”, despite the US being the world’s largest arms dealer.
Ukrainian weapons assistance for the pariah Southeast Asian state includes help for the Myanmar Integrated Air Defence System (MIADS), which has also been aided by Chinese and Russian input.
According to Amnesty International, Kiev signed a $US500 million contract in 2004 to supply some 1000 BTR-3U light-armoured personnel carriers (APC) to Burma, the same year that state-owned UkrSpetsExport set up office in a Rangoon hotel.
The APCs compliment an alleged 2003 deal for a consignment of Soviet T-72 battle tanks, which the cable claims the Ukrainians have stopped selling to southern Sudan “despite US satellite photos to the contrary.”
Benjamin Zawacki, Burma researcher at Amnesty International, told DVB that “there is no way of verifying whether or not the Ukrainians have indeed ceased selling arms…and we certainly have anecdotal evidence that that this hasn’t happened”.
Amnesty also alleges that Ukraine assisted in the construction of a small arms-producing factory in Burma, while the cable expresses concern about Ukrainian “specialty steel” exports to Iran for missile technology.
It reports however that Kiev told the US in 2008 that “Ukrainian exports to Burma were ‘as good as zero’ in part due to previous US warnings, and Ukraine had not signed any new contracts with Burma in the last two and a half years. Current exports were just spare parts. The remaining business was so small that the company involved had recalled all of its workers from Burma”.
Amnesty indicates however that Ukraine is, along with China, Russia, Serbia and Singapore, one of the top five arms dealers to the Burmese junta. But this is by no means an exclusive group, as countries such as Israel, Pakistan and India all add to the list.
“We certainly welcome it if it were true but I greet it with some scepticism,” Zawacki says. “But I would love to see some sort of official statement to that effect.”
“[Ukraine] had received the US demarche and was no longer exporting weapons to Burma”, said the 11 September 2009 cable, released on Monday by the whistleblower website, Wikileaks.
The Ukrainians have had a solid arms dealing history with Burma, described in the cable as “deliberate Ukrainian government actions that are contrary to US philosophy on exports”, despite the US being the world’s largest arms dealer.
Ukrainian weapons assistance for the pariah Southeast Asian state includes help for the Myanmar Integrated Air Defence System (MIADS), which has also been aided by Chinese and Russian input.
According to Amnesty International, Kiev signed a $US500 million contract in 2004 to supply some 1000 BTR-3U light-armoured personnel carriers (APC) to Burma, the same year that state-owned UkrSpetsExport set up office in a Rangoon hotel.
The APCs compliment an alleged 2003 deal for a consignment of Soviet T-72 battle tanks, which the cable claims the Ukrainians have stopped selling to southern Sudan “despite US satellite photos to the contrary.”
Benjamin Zawacki, Burma researcher at Amnesty International, told DVB that “there is no way of verifying whether or not the Ukrainians have indeed ceased selling arms…and we certainly have anecdotal evidence that that this hasn’t happened”.
Amnesty also alleges that Ukraine assisted in the construction of a small arms-producing factory in Burma, while the cable expresses concern about Ukrainian “specialty steel” exports to Iran for missile technology.
It reports however that Kiev told the US in 2008 that “Ukrainian exports to Burma were ‘as good as zero’ in part due to previous US warnings, and Ukraine had not signed any new contracts with Burma in the last two and a half years. Current exports were just spare parts. The remaining business was so small that the company involved had recalled all of its workers from Burma”.
Amnesty indicates however that Ukraine is, along with China, Russia, Serbia and Singapore, one of the top five arms dealers to the Burmese junta. But this is by no means an exclusive group, as countries such as Israel, Pakistan and India all add to the list.
“We certainly welcome it if it were true but I greet it with some scepticism,” Zawacki says. “But I would love to see some sort of official statement to that effect.”
Ukraine Marks Armed Forces Day
KIEV, Ukraine -- Ukraine's Armed Forces require new state policy of its restructuring according to modern challenges and threats in the global security system, Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych said on Monday.
"Ukraine is ready to create a mobile, professional army equipped with modern weapons and tools," Yanukovych said in an address marking the 19th anniversary of the Army Day.
The president, who is the army's chief, called achieving the European level of social standards for military personnel an important step toward high-professional army
"Modern technology can be entrusted only to highly educated, high-quality trained professionals. The effectiveness of command and control, radical changes in the resource and logistical support - this is our task for the near future," Yanukovych said.
The Armed Forces of Ukraine incorporate the army, air force and navy.
The Defense Ministry said earlier the Ukrainian army will be reduced from 200,000 to 160,000 personnel over the next five years.
"Ukraine is ready to create a mobile, professional army equipped with modern weapons and tools," Yanukovych said in an address marking the 19th anniversary of the Army Day.
The president, who is the army's chief, called achieving the European level of social standards for military personnel an important step toward high-professional army
"Modern technology can be entrusted only to highly educated, high-quality trained professionals. The effectiveness of command and control, radical changes in the resource and logistical support - this is our task for the near future," Yanukovych said.
The Armed Forces of Ukraine incorporate the army, air force and navy.
The Defense Ministry said earlier the Ukrainian army will be reduced from 200,000 to 160,000 personnel over the next five years.
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