Tweet
GETTING READY FOR A WAR?
WPS Weekly Review
March 26, 2012 Monday
Russia
Source: Argumenty Nedeli, No 11, March 22, 2012, p. 2
[translated]
ADDITIONAL MILITARY ASSETS IN DAGESTAN: IS THAT HOW RUSSIA HOPES TO
DISSUADE AZERBAIJAN FROM GOING TO WAR OVER RUNAWAY NAGORNO-KARABAKH?;
Three hypotheses explaining a dramatic enlargement of the Russian
military group in Dagestan.
Between 15,000 and 25,000 servicemen of the Defense Ministry and
Internal Troops with heavy fighting vehicles were dispatched from
Chechnya to Dagestan. The authorities call it planned rotation one
day and establishment of the Interior Ministry's Tactical Force in
Dagestan the following.
Eyewitness reports mentioned over 300 vehicles including armored
personnel carriers, Ural ferries, and armored command vehicles on the
way to Dagestan. T-90 tanks and multiple rocket launcher systems were
already moved to Dagestan from Chechnya.
According to official explanations, "some forces of the Provisional
Task Force will be moved from Chechnya to Dagestan and transformed into
the Interior Ministry's Tactical Force." Dagestani Security Council
Secretary Magomed Baachilov, however, called it "planned rotation".
Both explanations are lame, of course. Official explanation is
invalidated by the simple fact that no Tactical Force ever needs
so many heavy armored vehicles and Grad launchers. Baachilov's is
plain rubbish on account of the scope of the so called rotation. The
impression is that a major operation against the extremist underground
is planned in Dagestan. Or else the federal center knows something that
warrants deployment of an equivalent of two divisions... in addition
to the 136th Brigade quartered in Buinaksk, Marines in Kaspiisk,
and countless OMON units.
There is, however, a third hypothesis as well. "As matters stand,
there are between 55,000 and 57,000 servicemen quartered in the
republic... discounting local law enforcement agencies... It is
rumored here that come summer Azerbaijan will make another go at
Nagorno-Karabakh and try to reabsorb the runaway region. All this
military might concentrated in Dagestan is meant as a warning to
Baku, a message that Russia will stand by Armenia," said a source in
Dagestani security structures.
Source: Argumenty Nedeli, No 11, March 22, 2012, p. 2
WPS Weekly Review
March 26, 2012 Monday
Russia
Source: Argumenty Nedeli, No 11, March 22, 2012, p. 2
[translated]
ADDITIONAL MILITARY ASSETS IN DAGESTAN: IS THAT HOW RUSSIA HOPES TO
DISSUADE AZERBAIJAN FROM GOING TO WAR OVER RUNAWAY NAGORNO-KARABAKH?;
Three hypotheses explaining a dramatic enlargement of the Russian
military group in Dagestan.
Between 15,000 and 25,000 servicemen of the Defense Ministry and
Internal Troops with heavy fighting vehicles were dispatched from
Chechnya to Dagestan. The authorities call it planned rotation one
day and establishment of the Interior Ministry's Tactical Force in
Dagestan the following.
Eyewitness reports mentioned over 300 vehicles including armored
personnel carriers, Ural ferries, and armored command vehicles on the
way to Dagestan. T-90 tanks and multiple rocket launcher systems were
already moved to Dagestan from Chechnya.
According to official explanations, "some forces of the Provisional
Task Force will be moved from Chechnya to Dagestan and transformed into
the Interior Ministry's Tactical Force." Dagestani Security Council
Secretary Magomed Baachilov, however, called it "planned rotation".
Both explanations are lame, of course. Official explanation is
invalidated by the simple fact that no Tactical Force ever needs
so many heavy armored vehicles and Grad launchers. Baachilov's is
plain rubbish on account of the scope of the so called rotation. The
impression is that a major operation against the extremist underground
is planned in Dagestan. Or else the federal center knows something that
warrants deployment of an equivalent of two divisions... in addition
to the 136th Brigade quartered in Buinaksk, Marines in Kaspiisk,
and countless OMON units.
There is, however, a third hypothesis as well. "As matters stand,
there are between 55,000 and 57,000 servicemen quartered in the
republic... discounting local law enforcement agencies... It is
rumored here that come summer Azerbaijan will make another go at
Nagorno-Karabakh and try to reabsorb the runaway region. All this
military might concentrated in Dagestan is meant as a warning to
Baku, a message that Russia will stand by Armenia," said a source in
Dagestani security structures.
Source: Argumenty Nedeli, No 11, March 22, 2012, p. 2