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Nezavisimaya Gazeta, No 15, Russia
Jan 30 2013
KARABAKH AIR DEFENSE ROULETTE
by Vladimir Mukhin
AZERBAIJAN MIGHT USE RUSSIAN WEAPONS IN AN ARMED CONFLICT WITH
ARMENIA; Azerbaijan developed the capacity to control Nagorno-Karabakh
airspace.
Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu's visit to Armenia, his first in the
new capacity, ended yesterday. Sources within the Defense Ministry
call the visit planned even though it took place against the
background of deterioration of the Armenian-Azerbaijani relations.
Moscow was greatly upset to hear from official Baku that Azerbaijani
Antiaircraft Forces had been ordered to shoot down trespassing
civilian planes. Azerbaijan made it clear that the matter concerned
airspace above Nagorno-Karabakh.
Russian experts warn that it might spark hostilities between
Azerbaijan and Armenia all over again.
Azerbaijani Antiaircraft Forces developed this capacity to kill planes
above Karabakh in 2010, when Premier Dmitry Medvedev Enhanced Coverage
LinkingDmitry Medvedev -Search using:Biographies Plus NewsNews, Most
Recent 60 Daysordered the sale of two divisions of Favorites to the
Azerbaijanis. Without analogs anywhere in the world, these
antiaircraft complexes give the Azerbaijanis control over Karabakh
airspace. Sources within the Russian Defense Ministry say that when
the negotiations between Moscow and Baku over Gabala radar
installation failed, Vladimir Putin revoked the decision to sell the
third division of antiaircraft complexes to Azerbaijan. The use of the
Favorites already sold to Baku might escalate the conflict between
Azerbaijan and Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh.
Armenian media outlets reported already that a civilian airport was to
be opened with Yerevan's help near Stepanakert, the capital of
Nagorno-Karabakh. A Russian Defense Ministry officer said, "That
missiles launched by S-300PMU2 Favorites have a nearly guaranteed
ability to kill any aerial target within the range of 150 kilometers
is common knowledge. In other words, it will only take an order to
open fire for the Azerbaijanis to shoot down any plane, civilian or
not, that appears above Nagorno-Karabakh." The officer questioned
validity of Armenian Defense Minister Seiran Oganesjan's statement to
the effect that the republican Antiaircraft Forces were ready to
defend civilian planes on the regular run from Yerevan to Stepanakert.
"The Armenian may only hope to defend their territory or objects from
enemy aircraft. When Favorites are brought into play, this capacity
goes out the window."
Insiders within the Russian Defense Ministry claim that the Russian
delegation accompanying Shoigu to Yerevan did its best to discourage
the Armenians from organizing regular runs of civilian planes to
Stepanakert. It is known that the delegation included Igor Karavayev,
Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade, and Nikolai Bordyuzha, CSTO
Secretary General.
"It's finally happening. Russia is turning to its principal ally in
the southern part of the Caucasus... namely to Armenia. Its military
potential is a guarantee of regional stability. It is Armenia that
keeps in check Azerbaijan with its willingness to solve the problem of
Nagorno-Karabakh by sheer strength of arms," said Lieutenant General
Yuri Netkachev, once Russian Army Group in the Caucasus
Second-in-Command.
"This sale of the Favorites initially assembled for Iran to
Azerbaijan... was a political mistake or rather geopolitical error
made by Medvedev. Lots of them were made then... As for Azerbaijan, it
is clear I believe that this country is boosting its military
potential and acting against the interests of Russia and its allies,"
said Colonel General Leonid Ivashov, President of the Academy of
Geopolitical Problems.
[Translated from Russian]
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
Jan 30 2013
KARABAKH AIR DEFENSE ROULETTE
by Vladimir Mukhin
AZERBAIJAN MIGHT USE RUSSIAN WEAPONS IN AN ARMED CONFLICT WITH
ARMENIA; Azerbaijan developed the capacity to control Nagorno-Karabakh
airspace.
Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu's visit to Armenia, his first in the
new capacity, ended yesterday. Sources within the Defense Ministry
call the visit planned even though it took place against the
background of deterioration of the Armenian-Azerbaijani relations.
Moscow was greatly upset to hear from official Baku that Azerbaijani
Antiaircraft Forces had been ordered to shoot down trespassing
civilian planes. Azerbaijan made it clear that the matter concerned
airspace above Nagorno-Karabakh.
Russian experts warn that it might spark hostilities between
Azerbaijan and Armenia all over again.
Azerbaijani Antiaircraft Forces developed this capacity to kill planes
above Karabakh in 2010, when Premier Dmitry Medvedev Enhanced Coverage
LinkingDmitry Medvedev -Search using:Biographies Plus NewsNews, Most
Recent 60 Daysordered the sale of two divisions of Favorites to the
Azerbaijanis. Without analogs anywhere in the world, these
antiaircraft complexes give the Azerbaijanis control over Karabakh
airspace. Sources within the Russian Defense Ministry say that when
the negotiations between Moscow and Baku over Gabala radar
installation failed, Vladimir Putin revoked the decision to sell the
third division of antiaircraft complexes to Azerbaijan. The use of the
Favorites already sold to Baku might escalate the conflict between
Azerbaijan and Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh.
Armenian media outlets reported already that a civilian airport was to
be opened with Yerevan's help near Stepanakert, the capital of
Nagorno-Karabakh. A Russian Defense Ministry officer said, "That
missiles launched by S-300PMU2 Favorites have a nearly guaranteed
ability to kill any aerial target within the range of 150 kilometers
is common knowledge. In other words, it will only take an order to
open fire for the Azerbaijanis to shoot down any plane, civilian or
not, that appears above Nagorno-Karabakh." The officer questioned
validity of Armenian Defense Minister Seiran Oganesjan's statement to
the effect that the republican Antiaircraft Forces were ready to
defend civilian planes on the regular run from Yerevan to Stepanakert.
"The Armenian may only hope to defend their territory or objects from
enemy aircraft. When Favorites are brought into play, this capacity
goes out the window."
Insiders within the Russian Defense Ministry claim that the Russian
delegation accompanying Shoigu to Yerevan did its best to discourage
the Armenians from organizing regular runs of civilian planes to
Stepanakert. It is known that the delegation included Igor Karavayev,
Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade, and Nikolai Bordyuzha, CSTO
Secretary General.
"It's finally happening. Russia is turning to its principal ally in
the southern part of the Caucasus... namely to Armenia. Its military
potential is a guarantee of regional stability. It is Armenia that
keeps in check Azerbaijan with its willingness to solve the problem of
Nagorno-Karabakh by sheer strength of arms," said Lieutenant General
Yuri Netkachev, once Russian Army Group in the Caucasus
Second-in-Command.
"This sale of the Favorites initially assembled for Iran to
Azerbaijan... was a political mistake or rather geopolitical error
made by Medvedev. Lots of them were made then... As for Azerbaijan, it
is clear I believe that this country is boosting its military
potential and acting against the interests of Russia and its allies,"
said Colonel General Leonid Ivashov, President of the Academy of
Geopolitical Problems.
[Translated from Russian]
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress