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DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
August 10, 2012 Friday
CAUCASUS'2012 AND SOCHI'2014
by Vladimir Mukhin
Source: Nezavisimaya Gazeta, August 8, 2012, p. 1
COMBAT TRAINING; No. 377
UNITS INVOLVED IN THE MILITARY EXERCISE TO BE RUN WILL HANDLE
DOMESTIC PROBLEMS OF THE SOUTHERN RUSSIA RATHER THAN GEOPOLITICAL
ISSUES; Strategic exercise to be run in the southern part of Russia
upset official Tbilisi.
Pestered by the Georgian authorities, the U.S. Helsinki Commission
appealed to Russia to cancel the forthcoming strategic exercise
Caucasus'2012 scheduled to take place between September 17 and 23 in
the southern Russia and in the allegedly occupied South Ossetia and
Abkhazia. Chief of the General Staff Nikolai Makarov repeated
yesterday that the exercise in question posed no threats to any
foreign country.
The Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe also known as the
U.S. Helsinki Commission is an independent U.S. government agency
created by the Congress to monitor and encourage compliance with the
Helsinki Final Act. This body monitors the human rights situation in
56 countries. The Commission includes nine members from the U.S. House
of Representatives, nine from the U.S. Senate, and one member each
from the departments of state, defense, and trade. Its appeal to the
Russian leadership apparently demonstrates the official opinion of the
American Administration. Like many other countries, the United States
denies South Ossetia and Abkhazia, two republics established after the
Five Day War in August 2008, legitimacy and recognition. The conflict
between Georgia and Russia broke out exactly four years ago. When it
was over, Russia established military bases on the territories of the
two republics. It assists Abkhazia and South Ossetia economically and
from the military standpoint.
Makarov emphasized that the legend of Caucasus'2012 stipulated actions
on the territory of the Southern Military District alone. It is known
meanwhile that the Russian bases in Abkhazia and South Ossetia belong
to the Southern Military District. It means that their personnel will
participate in the exercise as well. In fact, 58th Army Commander
Major General Andrei Gurulev already said that the operational group
of the 4th Military Base (South Ossetia) was going to take part in the
military exercise ("... like other units of the 58th Army"). Gurulev
explained that it would perform its tasks in Kapustin Yar in Russia,
and not in South Ossetia. He added that some tasks would also be
performed by operational groups of the 7th Military Base from Abkhazia
and the 102nd from Armenia.
Armenian Defense Minister Seiran Oganjan recently said that
Caucasus'2012 was to be preceded by Cooperation'2012, exercise of the
CIS Collective Security Treaty Organization's Rapid Response
Collective Forces. According to Russian Airborne Troops Commander
Colonel General Vladimir Shamanov, units of the 98th Airborne Division
were handpicked for Cooperation'2012. Shamanov did not say exactly how
these units were going to make it to Armenia. One might suggest that
they will be flown in above the territory of Azerbaijan (which is
unlikely) or Iran (which more probable). It is hard to imagine the
Russian military to make the trip across Georgia because a year ago
official Tbilisi banned flights of Russian military aircraft above the
territory of Georgia.
Deputy Chief of the General Staff Colonel General Alexander Postnikov
said, "Exercise Caucasus'2012 has nothing to do with the situation in
neighbor countries... It is in order to avoid speculations that we
decided not to involve in the exercise the units from Russian military
bases abroad."
Makarov said, "The exercise is to be run to prepare the troops for
deployment to ensure military security of the southwestern part of
Russia... The troops will practice in Prudboi, Kapustin Yar, Ashuluk,
and Rayevskoy i.e. the shooting ranges located on the territory of the
Southern Military District." Makarov added that operational groups
from the Interior Ministry, Federal Security Service, Federal Service
of Protection, and Ministry of Emergencies were to be involved in what
he called "the largest exercise this year".
Analysis shows indeed that the exercise in question is to be run with
an emphasis on Russia's domestic problems and not international
geopolitical issues. Black Sea Fleet Commander Rear Admiral Alexander
Fedotenkov recently said that the group of ships representing three
fleets (Northern, Baltic, Black Sea) currently in the Mediterranean
was going to take part in Caucasus'2012. According to the Defense
Ministry, landing ships of the Northern Fleet Alexander Otrakovsky,
Georgy Pobedonosets, and Kondopoga will visit Novorossiisk on August
11 and 12. It is believed that assets of the Russian Navy in the Black
Sea will practice tasks and missions aiming to ensure security of the
Winter Olympic Games in Sochi in 2014. Ground forces will practice
dealing with illegal armed formations operating in the Caucasus.
The Georgian authorities in the meantime claim that Russia will "once
again" attack Georgia after Caucasus' 2012. Russian defense and
foreign ministries deny all allegations.
From: A. Papazian
August 10, 2012 Friday
CAUCASUS'2012 AND SOCHI'2014
by Vladimir Mukhin
Source: Nezavisimaya Gazeta, August 8, 2012, p. 1
COMBAT TRAINING; No. 377
UNITS INVOLVED IN THE MILITARY EXERCISE TO BE RUN WILL HANDLE
DOMESTIC PROBLEMS OF THE SOUTHERN RUSSIA RATHER THAN GEOPOLITICAL
ISSUES; Strategic exercise to be run in the southern part of Russia
upset official Tbilisi.
Pestered by the Georgian authorities, the U.S. Helsinki Commission
appealed to Russia to cancel the forthcoming strategic exercise
Caucasus'2012 scheduled to take place between September 17 and 23 in
the southern Russia and in the allegedly occupied South Ossetia and
Abkhazia. Chief of the General Staff Nikolai Makarov repeated
yesterday that the exercise in question posed no threats to any
foreign country.
The Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe also known as the
U.S. Helsinki Commission is an independent U.S. government agency
created by the Congress to monitor and encourage compliance with the
Helsinki Final Act. This body monitors the human rights situation in
56 countries. The Commission includes nine members from the U.S. House
of Representatives, nine from the U.S. Senate, and one member each
from the departments of state, defense, and trade. Its appeal to the
Russian leadership apparently demonstrates the official opinion of the
American Administration. Like many other countries, the United States
denies South Ossetia and Abkhazia, two republics established after the
Five Day War in August 2008, legitimacy and recognition. The conflict
between Georgia and Russia broke out exactly four years ago. When it
was over, Russia established military bases on the territories of the
two republics. It assists Abkhazia and South Ossetia economically and
from the military standpoint.
Makarov emphasized that the legend of Caucasus'2012 stipulated actions
on the territory of the Southern Military District alone. It is known
meanwhile that the Russian bases in Abkhazia and South Ossetia belong
to the Southern Military District. It means that their personnel will
participate in the exercise as well. In fact, 58th Army Commander
Major General Andrei Gurulev already said that the operational group
of the 4th Military Base (South Ossetia) was going to take part in the
military exercise ("... like other units of the 58th Army"). Gurulev
explained that it would perform its tasks in Kapustin Yar in Russia,
and not in South Ossetia. He added that some tasks would also be
performed by operational groups of the 7th Military Base from Abkhazia
and the 102nd from Armenia.
Armenian Defense Minister Seiran Oganjan recently said that
Caucasus'2012 was to be preceded by Cooperation'2012, exercise of the
CIS Collective Security Treaty Organization's Rapid Response
Collective Forces. According to Russian Airborne Troops Commander
Colonel General Vladimir Shamanov, units of the 98th Airborne Division
were handpicked for Cooperation'2012. Shamanov did not say exactly how
these units were going to make it to Armenia. One might suggest that
they will be flown in above the territory of Azerbaijan (which is
unlikely) or Iran (which more probable). It is hard to imagine the
Russian military to make the trip across Georgia because a year ago
official Tbilisi banned flights of Russian military aircraft above the
territory of Georgia.
Deputy Chief of the General Staff Colonel General Alexander Postnikov
said, "Exercise Caucasus'2012 has nothing to do with the situation in
neighbor countries... It is in order to avoid speculations that we
decided not to involve in the exercise the units from Russian military
bases abroad."
Makarov said, "The exercise is to be run to prepare the troops for
deployment to ensure military security of the southwestern part of
Russia... The troops will practice in Prudboi, Kapustin Yar, Ashuluk,
and Rayevskoy i.e. the shooting ranges located on the territory of the
Southern Military District." Makarov added that operational groups
from the Interior Ministry, Federal Security Service, Federal Service
of Protection, and Ministry of Emergencies were to be involved in what
he called "the largest exercise this year".
Analysis shows indeed that the exercise in question is to be run with
an emphasis on Russia's domestic problems and not international
geopolitical issues. Black Sea Fleet Commander Rear Admiral Alexander
Fedotenkov recently said that the group of ships representing three
fleets (Northern, Baltic, Black Sea) currently in the Mediterranean
was going to take part in Caucasus'2012. According to the Defense
Ministry, landing ships of the Northern Fleet Alexander Otrakovsky,
Georgy Pobedonosets, and Kondopoga will visit Novorossiisk on August
11 and 12. It is believed that assets of the Russian Navy in the Black
Sea will practice tasks and missions aiming to ensure security of the
Winter Olympic Games in Sochi in 2014. Ground forces will practice
dealing with illegal armed formations operating in the Caucasus.
The Georgian authorities in the meantime claim that Russia will "once
again" attack Georgia after Caucasus' 2012. Russian defense and
foreign ministries deny all allegations.
From: A. Papazian