Tweet
WPS Agency, Russia
DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
June 22, 2012 Friday
HOW MUCH THE MILITARY BASES ABROAD COST US
BY: Victor Baranets
HIGHLIGHT: RUSSIAN ARMED FORCES HAVE MORE THAN 20 GARRISONS ABROAD;
Russian military bases and objects abroad are not an "imperial whim"
of our generals but an integral forceful component of our foreign
policy. No matter where are military contingents are located this
always makes sense, has its reasons and its history. Why do we keep
our soldiers and officers abroad? How much does this cost our state
treasury?
Russian military bases and objects abroad are not an "imperial whim"
of our generals but an integral forceful component of our foreign
policy. No matter where are military contingents are located this
always makes sense, has its reasons and its history. Why do we keep
our soldiers and officers abroad? How much does this cost our state
treasury?
Abkhazia: tenants free of charge
The seventh Russian military base is stationed in Abkhazia since 2009.
Real estate in the places of location of the military base is given to
Russia for use free of charge for the entire period of the
Russian-Abkhaz agreement (49 years with a possibility of automatic
prolongation for the next 15-year periods). The main purpose of the
base is provision of defense of Abkhazia from a military aggression of
Georgia.
Azerbaijan: Gabala terms
The Gabala radar station of Daryal type became property of Azerbaijan
after breakup of the USSR. It is operated by Russian specialists on
rent terms ($7 million per year). The rent term expires in December of
2012. Azerbaijan demands $300 million per year for rent.
Armenia: "no need for money"
The 102nd Russian military base is located in Gyumri (it has 4,500
people of personnel). The agreement on its location in Armenia was
signed in 1995 for 25 years. No rental payment is taken from Russia
for the base in Gyumri. The goal of the base is provision of defense
of the republic together with its army and fulfillment of obligations
in the framework of the Collective Security Treaty.
Belarus: "brotherhood is not sold"
Separate radio technical node Volga is located in district center
Gantsevichi. It is rented by Russia according to an agreement of 1995
for 25 years. It is a part of the early warning system. Another
Russian object is the 43rd communication node Vileika. It provides for
communication with strategic nuclear submarines of the Russian Navy.
Minsk does not charge the payment from Moscow for its military objects
(they could cost $7-10 million per year). In the past, Americans
offered $10 billion to Lukashenko for removal of the Russian radar
station from the Belarusian territory. The Belarusian leader answered
that "brotherhood with Russia is not sold"
Kazakhstan: space barter
In Kazakhstan Russia rents several military objects. The biggest of
them is Baikonur cosmodrome (its rent cost Moscow $115 million per
year). Rent of other objects costs up to $50 million. These are the
929th state flight testing center, Emba testing range, testing range
Sary-Shagan, the fourth state central testing range, a separate ratio
technical node, a separate regiment of the transport aviation of the
Russian Air Force, the 20th separate testing station and two
measurement points. The main part of the Russian money for rent is
written off in the framework of offset schemes.
Kyrgyzstan: forgotten debts
There Russian rents air base Kant (time of rent is 49 years), testing
range of antisubmarine armament of the Russian Navy, communication
node of the Navy, automatic seismic station and radio seismic
laboratory of the seismic service of the Russian Defense Ministry. At
the beginning of 2012, authorities of Kyrgyzstan announced that "the
unpaid debt of Russia for the bases between 2008 and 2011 exceeded $15
million." Moscow returned the unpaid amount to Bishkek soon and
reminded that it had to repay a forgotten debt of $493 million to
Russia. After that Kyrgyzstan grew more compliant.
Trans-Dniester Republic: guests on self-support terms
The operational group in Trans-Dniester Republic includes two Russian
separate mechanized infantry battalions, a battalion of guarding and
maintenance, a helicopter detachment and several logistic units.
Personnel of the group consists of about 1,000 people. Russian units
are stationed on the territory of the republic free of charge, that is
on self-support terms (150 million rubles per year).
Tajikistan: weapons instead of dollars
There is the 201st Russian military base (about 7,000 people) located
in the republic. The goal of its presence is provision of security of
the state (CSTO ally) together with the Tajik army and maintenance of
stability in the region. Another Russian military object in Tajikistan
is optronic center Okno. Since the Soviet time it has been a part of
the outer space control system. Now it works for the Airspace Defense
Forces of Russia. The object was transferred to Russian ownership. For
this Moscow wrote off a debt of Tajikistan worth $242 million. In
2006, Russia provided free military air worth more than $76 million to
Dushanbe.
Ukraine: fleet in exchange for gas
The naval base of the Black Sea Fleet of Russia is located in
Sevastopol. There is also the staff of the Black Sea Fleet, a
communication node, a hospital, an air defense missile regiment, a
marine regiment, arsenal and yachting club there. Airplanes and
helicopters are based at Kacha and Gvardeiskoe airfields. Russia rents
communication nodes in Kacha, Sudak and Yalta. An electronic
countermeasures regiment is stationed in Otradnoe. The rent of the
Russian base and military objects costs $97 million per year (payment
for the Russian gas supplied to Ukraine is partially taken into
account).
Uzbekistan: military barter
Since 2006, Russian troops use Karshi-Khanabad air base due to return
of Uzbekistan to the CSTO. Russia pays for this with supply of
armament, ammunition, spare parts and training of Uzbek specialists.
South Ossetia: Caucasian outpost
The fourth Russian military base is located there since 2009. No
payment for rent of the base is planned. The time of functioning is 40
years with a possibility of automatic prolongation for the next
15-year periods. Our base together with the armed forces of the
republic provides for defense of South Ossetia from military
aggression of Georgia.
Source: Komsomolskaya Pravda, June 19, 2012, p. 11
From: A. Papazian
DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
June 22, 2012 Friday
HOW MUCH THE MILITARY BASES ABROAD COST US
BY: Victor Baranets
HIGHLIGHT: RUSSIAN ARMED FORCES HAVE MORE THAN 20 GARRISONS ABROAD;
Russian military bases and objects abroad are not an "imperial whim"
of our generals but an integral forceful component of our foreign
policy. No matter where are military contingents are located this
always makes sense, has its reasons and its history. Why do we keep
our soldiers and officers abroad? How much does this cost our state
treasury?
Russian military bases and objects abroad are not an "imperial whim"
of our generals but an integral forceful component of our foreign
policy. No matter where are military contingents are located this
always makes sense, has its reasons and its history. Why do we keep
our soldiers and officers abroad? How much does this cost our state
treasury?
Abkhazia: tenants free of charge
The seventh Russian military base is stationed in Abkhazia since 2009.
Real estate in the places of location of the military base is given to
Russia for use free of charge for the entire period of the
Russian-Abkhaz agreement (49 years with a possibility of automatic
prolongation for the next 15-year periods). The main purpose of the
base is provision of defense of Abkhazia from a military aggression of
Georgia.
Azerbaijan: Gabala terms
The Gabala radar station of Daryal type became property of Azerbaijan
after breakup of the USSR. It is operated by Russian specialists on
rent terms ($7 million per year). The rent term expires in December of
2012. Azerbaijan demands $300 million per year for rent.
Armenia: "no need for money"
The 102nd Russian military base is located in Gyumri (it has 4,500
people of personnel). The agreement on its location in Armenia was
signed in 1995 for 25 years. No rental payment is taken from Russia
for the base in Gyumri. The goal of the base is provision of defense
of the republic together with its army and fulfillment of obligations
in the framework of the Collective Security Treaty.
Belarus: "brotherhood is not sold"
Separate radio technical node Volga is located in district center
Gantsevichi. It is rented by Russia according to an agreement of 1995
for 25 years. It is a part of the early warning system. Another
Russian object is the 43rd communication node Vileika. It provides for
communication with strategic nuclear submarines of the Russian Navy.
Minsk does not charge the payment from Moscow for its military objects
(they could cost $7-10 million per year). In the past, Americans
offered $10 billion to Lukashenko for removal of the Russian radar
station from the Belarusian territory. The Belarusian leader answered
that "brotherhood with Russia is not sold"
Kazakhstan: space barter
In Kazakhstan Russia rents several military objects. The biggest of
them is Baikonur cosmodrome (its rent cost Moscow $115 million per
year). Rent of other objects costs up to $50 million. These are the
929th state flight testing center, Emba testing range, testing range
Sary-Shagan, the fourth state central testing range, a separate ratio
technical node, a separate regiment of the transport aviation of the
Russian Air Force, the 20th separate testing station and two
measurement points. The main part of the Russian money for rent is
written off in the framework of offset schemes.
Kyrgyzstan: forgotten debts
There Russian rents air base Kant (time of rent is 49 years), testing
range of antisubmarine armament of the Russian Navy, communication
node of the Navy, automatic seismic station and radio seismic
laboratory of the seismic service of the Russian Defense Ministry. At
the beginning of 2012, authorities of Kyrgyzstan announced that "the
unpaid debt of Russia for the bases between 2008 and 2011 exceeded $15
million." Moscow returned the unpaid amount to Bishkek soon and
reminded that it had to repay a forgotten debt of $493 million to
Russia. After that Kyrgyzstan grew more compliant.
Trans-Dniester Republic: guests on self-support terms
The operational group in Trans-Dniester Republic includes two Russian
separate mechanized infantry battalions, a battalion of guarding and
maintenance, a helicopter detachment and several logistic units.
Personnel of the group consists of about 1,000 people. Russian units
are stationed on the territory of the republic free of charge, that is
on self-support terms (150 million rubles per year).
Tajikistan: weapons instead of dollars
There is the 201st Russian military base (about 7,000 people) located
in the republic. The goal of its presence is provision of security of
the state (CSTO ally) together with the Tajik army and maintenance of
stability in the region. Another Russian military object in Tajikistan
is optronic center Okno. Since the Soviet time it has been a part of
the outer space control system. Now it works for the Airspace Defense
Forces of Russia. The object was transferred to Russian ownership. For
this Moscow wrote off a debt of Tajikistan worth $242 million. In
2006, Russia provided free military air worth more than $76 million to
Dushanbe.
Ukraine: fleet in exchange for gas
The naval base of the Black Sea Fleet of Russia is located in
Sevastopol. There is also the staff of the Black Sea Fleet, a
communication node, a hospital, an air defense missile regiment, a
marine regiment, arsenal and yachting club there. Airplanes and
helicopters are based at Kacha and Gvardeiskoe airfields. Russia rents
communication nodes in Kacha, Sudak and Yalta. An electronic
countermeasures regiment is stationed in Otradnoe. The rent of the
Russian base and military objects costs $97 million per year (payment
for the Russian gas supplied to Ukraine is partially taken into
account).
Uzbekistan: military barter
Since 2006, Russian troops use Karshi-Khanabad air base due to return
of Uzbekistan to the CSTO. Russia pays for this with supply of
armament, ammunition, spare parts and training of Uzbek specialists.
South Ossetia: Caucasian outpost
The fourth Russian military base is located there since 2009. No
payment for rent of the base is planned. The time of functioning is 40
years with a possibility of automatic prolongation for the next
15-year periods. Our base together with the armed forces of the
republic provides for defense of South Ossetia from military
aggression of Georgia.
Source: Komsomolskaya Pravda, June 19, 2012, p. 11
From: A. Papazian