Russian military gets ready for large-scale drills in Far East

20:13 22/03/2010

The commander of the Russian Ground Forces has arrived in Russia’s Far East to inspect the preparation for upcoming strategic military exercises in the region. The Russian Armed Forces will conduct large-scale Vostok-2010 military exercises in Siberia and the country’s Far East in June-July. "Col. Gen. Alexander Postnikov will focus on practical details of the exercises while visiting the locations where the drills will take place," the Ground Forces press service said in a statement. The upcoming drills will involve units from the Far Eastern, the Siberian and the Volga-Urals military districts, as well as the Pacific Fleet. As part of the drills, the Armed Forces will practice the deployment of additional troops in Siberia and the Far East to strengthen the existing military contingent in the region in case of a potential military conflict. Russia holds Vostok strategic command-and-staff exercises every two years. More than 8,000 troops took part in Vostok-2008. The Russian military conducted the Caucasus 2009, Zapad 2009 and Ladoga 2009 strategic exercises, and 15 brigade-level and 161 battalion-level drills last year.

MOSCOW, March 22 (RIA Novosti)

http://www.en.rian.ru/mlitary_news/20100322/158279612.html

 Vietnam hails military cooperation with Russia

13:06 23/03/2010

The Vietnamese defense minister said on Tuesday that the current visit of his Russian counterpart to Vietnam would strengthen bilateral military ties, which have seen a significant improvement in the last few years. Russian Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov arrived on Monday in Hanoi to meet with the Vietnamese leadership and discuss the prospects of military cooperation between the two countries. "I am certain that these meetings will give a new boost to our bilateral ties in the defense sphere," Gen. Phung Quang Thanh said during talks with Serdyukov. In response, the Russian minister said that Russia considered Vietnam its strategic partner and welcomed the steady development of friendly relations with the south-east Asian state. Russia and Vietnam have cooperated in the military sphere since 1953. In 1998, Moscow and Hanoi signed an intergovernmental agreement on military cooperation, and a relevant Russian-Vietnamese intergovernmental commission was established in 1999. In October 2008, during the Vietnamese president’s visit to Moscow, Russia and Vietnam set up a strategy of military and technical cooperation until 2020 by signing an inter-governmental memorandum. Vietnam is gradually turning into the major buyer of Russian armaments after India, with several contracts worth billions of U.S. dollars signed recently. The country became Russia’s biggest arms client in 2009, having ordered six Kilo-class Project 636 diesel-electric submarines worth $4 billion and eight Su-30MK2 Flanker-C multirole fighters worth $400 million. The contracts signed since the start of 2010 are estimated at $1 billion, including the order of 12 additional 12 Su-30MK2 fighters.

HANOI, March 23 (RIA Novosti)

http://www.en.rian.ru/mlitary_news/20100323/158286323.html

 Russia conducts Navy anti-submarine drills in Sea of Japan

10:28 24/03/2010

A mixed task force from the Russian Pacific Fleet started on Wednesday a series of anti-submarine warfare (ASW) drills in the Sea of Japan, a fleet spokesman said. "Two task forces comprising missile destroyers and diesel-powered submarines are taking part in the drills in line with a regular training program," Capt. 1st Rank Roman Martov said. The exercises involve a number of search-and-destroy missions, simulated torpedo attacks and live-fire drills with on-board artillery and air defense systems. The Admiral Tributs and Admiral Vinogradov destroyers, which carried out patrol missions in the Gulf of Aden as part of international efforts to fight sea piracy, will take part in the drills. According to Martov, the exercises will culminate with a "battle" between the destroyers and submarines, when the surface ships attempt to thwart "a surprise attack from the deep." Russia’s Pacific Fleet has a missile cruiser, five destroyers and a large number of submarines in service. Its anti-submarine warfare aircraft include Tu-142 Bear F and Il-38 May planes, and Ka-27 Helix D helicopters.

VLADIVOSTOK, March 24 (RIA Novosti)

http://www.en.rian.ru/mlitary_news/20100324/158295950.html

 Russia will only buy fully-equipped Mistral from France - Gen. Staff chief

18:32 25/03/2010

The chief of the Russian General Staff said Thursday that Russia would only buy a fully-equipped Mistral-class amphibious assault ship from France. Russia is negotiating the purchase of a Mistral-class ship from France, worth 400-500 million euros (around $540-$675 million). Russia could also use French technology later to build another three such vessels in Russia in partnership with the French naval shipbuilder DCNS. "Russia’s leadership and Defense Ministry have a clear position on the issue. Should a final decision be made on Mistral, we will purchase this ship only if it is fully equipped - with all control and navigation means and armaments," Army General Nikolai Makarov told the Rossiiskaya Gazeta Nedelya government weekly. "The only exception is helicopters. They will be domestically made. Everything else is to be made to their standards completely," he said. But the French Defense Ministry on Thursday reiterated that if the deal is struck, Mistral-class vessels would be delivered without armaments. "The president said publicly in front of his Russian counterpart what the scope for negotiations was," spokesman Laurent Teisseire was quoted by AFP as saying. French President Nicolas Sarkozy said March 1 at a joint press conference with his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev that Mistral is "a helicopter carrier we will create for Russia without military equipment." A Mistral-class ship is capable of transporting and deploying 16 helicopters, four landing barges, up to 70 armored vehicles including 13 battle tanks, and 450 personnel. Many Russian military and industry experts have questioned the financial and military sense of the purchase, and some believe that Russia simply wants to gain access to advanced naval technology that could be used in the future in potential conflicts with NATO and its allies.

MOSCOW, March 25 (RIA Novosti)

http://www.en.rian.ru/mlitary_news/20100325/158310811.html

 Russia may unveil new ’super-tank’ in summer 2010

00:36 26/03/2010

Russia’s new main battle tank (MBT), the T-95, could be exhibited for the first time at an arms show in the Urals Region this summer, the developer and future manufacturer of the tank has said. The development of the new tank dubbed "Item 195" began at the Uralvagonzavod design bureau in the early 1990s. Russia will become the first country in the world to have the 5th-generartion MBT if the military commissions the vehicle. "The work on the project has been conducted for many years. If the government gives us a ’green light’ we will exhibit the tank at the [Russian Expo Arms 2010] arms show in Nizhny Tagil this summer," general director of the Uralvagonzavod plant Oleg Siyenko told RIA Novosti in an exclusive interview. "I cannot disclose the characteristics of the tank, but I can assure you that we have met all the requirements put forward by the military," he said. According to unofficial sources, the T-95 will feature better firepower, maneuverability, electronics and armor protection than Russia’s latest T-90 MBT or comparable foreign models. It will weigh about 55 tons and its speed will increase from 30-50 kph to 50-65 kph (19-31 mph to 31-40 mph). The new tank may be equipped with a 152-mm smoothbore gun capable of firing guided missiles with a range of 6,000-7,000 meters. In contrast to existing designs, the gun will be located in a remotely-controlled turret to improve 3-men crew survivability. Meanwhile, the T-90 MBT, developed in the 1990s on the basis of the T-72B tank, will be the backbone of the armored units until 2025, according to the Russian military. Russia currently produces up to 100 T-90 MBTs annually and plans to have at least 1,500 vehicles in service with the Ground Forces.

MOSCOW, March 26 (RIA Novosti)

http://www.en.rian.ru/mlitary_news/20100326/158314386.html

 Russia to give Abkhazia credit of 700 mln rbls

26.03.2010, 10.40

NOVO-OGARYEVO (near Moscow), March 26 (Itar-Tass) — The work on giving Abakhazia a credit of 700 million roubles for additional capitalization of the Abkhazian Central Bank has been actually concluded, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said during a working meeting with President Sergei Bagapsh of Abkhazia on Friday. According to the Russian prime minister, “in the shortest possible time, specialists will finish the work on organizing this plan.” Putin specified that the credit will be given with a privilege period of four years and a privilege interest rate. The credit is to be given for ten years.

http://www.itar-tass.com/eng/level2.html?NewsID=14957485&PageNum=0

 Yanukovych needs support at home for gas consortium with Russia

14:02 23/03/2010

Ukraine’s new leader Viktor Yanukovych will have to work hard to sell the idea of a gas consortium with Russia according to a poll published on the Ukrainian government’s website on Tuesday. Yanukovych is seeking to revise a long-term gas deal signed by ex-premier Yulia Tymoshenko and Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin in early 2009, which made Russian gas expensive for Ukraine, further straining the country’s meager finances. In return for cheaper gas, Ukraine wants to offer Russia a stake in its gas transportation system, which currently accounts for about 80% of Russian natural gas exports to Europe. Ukraine’s Fuel and Energy Minister Yuriy Boiko flew to Moscow on Tuesday to discuss gas issues with Russian officials. According to the poll conducted in Ukraine in March, only 40.5% of respondents welcomed the idea of a gas consortium with Russia. 23.3% opposed the move. Tymoshenko, who currently leads the Ukrainian opposition, has criticized the idea, saying the transfer of the national gas transportation network would betray national interests. As many as 70.6% of Ukrainians fully support the need to review the gas deal with Russia, with only 13.4% speaking against this option, the poll showed. The poll was conducted by the Ukrainian social survey company, Research & Branding Group, on March 9 - 15 in all regions of Ukraine and covered 2,077 respondents with a statistical error of 2.2%. The Russian business daily Vedomosti said on Monday that it was high time for Ukraine to sort out its gas transportation network as the construction of the Kremlin-backed Nord Stream and South Stream gas pipelines bypassing Ukraine will marginalize the ex-Soviet republic. Ukraine’s gas transportation system is Europe’s second largest gas pipeline network and the main route for Russian natural gas supplies to European consumers. In early 2000, Kiev and Moscow discussed the possibility of creating a gas transport consortium with the involvement of EU partners to manage and modernize Ukraine’s Soviet-era gas pipeline network. The project was put on hold when west-leaning president Viktor Yushchenko came to power in Ukraine in 2004. Russia has made repeated attempts to obtain a stake in the Ukrainian gas pipeline network to modernize the system and ensure uninterrupted gas supplies to Europe. Ukraine has so far resisted, saying a consortium with Russia would jeopardize its sovereignty.

KIEV, March 23 (RIA Novosti)

http://www.en.rian.ru/exsoviet/20100323/158286879.html

 Ukrainian Communists threaten to withdraw from parliamentary coalition

15:19 23/03/2010

The Ukrainian Communist Party is unhappy with its appointments to parliament and is threatening to withdraw from the parliamentary coalition, Ukrainian Dilo newspaper said. The Ukrainian parliament formed a majority parliamentary coalition under President Viktor Yanukovych earlier in March and appointed Mykola Azarov as prime minister, ending a political stand-off between the legislature and head of state. The Communists, also included in the coalition, said that the pro-presidential political force had failed to comply with the agreement of the coalition and this could lead to disintegration and early elections. Ihor Kaletnyk of the Communist Party was expected to be appointed as the new head of the customs administration last week but the appointment has not yet been made. Leonyd Hrach, one of the Communist Party leaders, said he thinks Yanukovych’s Party of Regions have decided against the appointment. The Communists claim that the Party of Regions is trying to take all power for itself. "My personal opinion is that the Party of Regions is trying to usurp power. It’s outrageous," the deputy of the Ukrainian Communist Party Kateryna Samoilyk said. The Party of Regions has chosen not to comment on the conflicts in the coalition. "Absolutely all decisions are agreed with other members of the coalition," deputy of the Party of Regions Mykhailo Chechetov said. The new majority coalition includes Party of Regions, the Communist Party, the political bloc of parliamentary speaker Volodymyr Lytvyn and several independents. It has 235 members, 27 of whom are the Communist Party members. If the Communists carry out their threat and withdraw, the coalition will no longer be legitimate as it will lack sufficient votes.

KIEV, March 23 (RIA Novosti)

http://www.en.rian.ru/exsoviet/20100323/158288711.html

 Yanukovich to dismiss Verkhovna Rada in case of Constitutional Court ruling

26.03.2010, 18.12

KIEV, March 26 (Itar-Tass) — Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich will dismiss the parliament if the Constitutional Court pronounces the parliamentary coalition illegal. “If the Constitutional Court decides that the coalition has been formed illegally, I will order an early parliamentary election. I will not breach the constitution under any circumstances,” Yanukovich told a European Parliament delegation on Friday. The delegation head, Adrian Severin, hopes that the Constitutional Court will confirm the legality of the parliamentary coalition. An early election is a constitutional way out, but the European Parliament would prefer stable Ukraine to a new election. He welcomed the formation of the coalition, which would start resolving pressing political and economic problems, Severin said. The Ukrainian parliament formed a coalition, Stability and Reforms, of the Party of Regions, the Communist Party, the Litvin Bloc and some deputies of other factions on March 11. The coalition was formed after the Verkhovna Rada rules had been amended and deputies were permitted to join the coalition separately, rather than together with their factions. The opposition said it would insist on an early election.

http://www.itar-tass.com/eng/level2.html?NewsID=14960336&PageNum=0

 Ukrainian premier says wants full-fledged ties with Russia restored

18:45 25/03/2010

Ukrainian Prime Minister Mykola Azarov said on Thursday his government was ready to work to repair damage caused to relations with Russia by the previous ’Orange’ presidency of Viktor Yushchenko. "Restoring full-fledged relations with Russia is our goal," he said during a meeting with Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. "You have already outlined various projects and we have brought new proposals for your government. "We could significantly intensify work on agreements and sign them, proving we are ready for constructive work," Azarov added. Azarov became prime minister earlier this month after his ally, Viktor Yanukovych, won presidential polls to replace Yushchenko, whose hostile course toward Russia had badly damaged relations between the two neighboring states. Yanukovych has promised Ukrainians a more balanced foreign policy, including better ties with Russia.

NOVO-OGARYOVO, Russia, March 25 (RIA Novosti)

http://www.en.rian.ru/russia/20100325/158310861.html

 Georgian opposition split over Russian issue

21:20 23/03/2010

The current leader of the Georgia’s Way opposition party Salome Zurabishvili on Tuesday slammed the initiative of several other opposition groups to set up ties with Russia. "I returned to Georgia not to implement the ’Russian plan’ and I will not accept the fact that democracy is impossible in Georgia," she said. Pro-Western Zurabishvili, an ex-Georgian foreign minister, was forced to resign in 2005 after a confrontation between the parliament and the foreign ministry. She was also criticized for her personnel policy, including alleged nepotism in the appointment of ambassadors and a ban on their direct contact with parliament. According to her, an anomalous situation has arisen in Georgia, when only politicians who are seeking relations with Russia are considered to be the opposition, hinting at the key Georgian opposition leaders Nino Burdzhanadze and Zurab Nogaideli. Zurabishvili believes only democratic elections, which she has called a "peaceful struggle," could solve the problematic political situation in the country. According to Zurabishvili, current President Mikheil Saakashvili is "in agony."

TBILISI, March 23 (RIA Novosti)

http://www.en.rian.ru/exsoviet/20100323/158292226.html

 Kazakhstan plans to capture 40% of Japan’s uranium market

18:25 24/03/2010

Kazakhstan is planning to boost its uranium exports to Japan and increase its share on the Japanese uranium market from the current 4% to 40%, the Kazakh foreign minister said on Wednesday. Kanat Saudabayev said in an interview with Japan’s Nikkei news agency that the basic principles and areas of bilateral cooperation in civilian nuclear power engineering were defined in an intergovernmental agreement signed between the two countries in Tokyo on March 2, 2010. "It [the agreement] allows for the expansion of the sphere of interaction. In particular, Kazakhstan is interested in obtaining nuclear power technologies from Japan," he said. A package of documents signed between Kazatomprom, Kazakhstan’s national operator for the import and export of uranium, and Japanese companies stipulated broader cooperation in the nuclear fuel cycle, he said. "The implementation of these accords will make it possible in coming years to increase the share of Kazakh uranium products on the Japanese market from 3-4% to 40%, of which about 30% will be highly processed products," he said.

TOKYO, March 24 (RIA Novosti)

http://www.en.rian.ru/exsoviet/20100324/158300048.html

 China promises $1 bln loan to Belarus

03:3125/03/2010

China will give Belarus $1 billion in loan on favorable terms and $7.5 million in non-repayable financial aid, Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping said during his visit to Minsk. "The Chinese side will provide Belarus with $1 billion in loan on favorable terms, which will be used to finance cooperation projects, agreed by the two states," he said. "The Chinese government has also resolved to provide Belarus with 60 million yuan ($7.5 million) in non-repayable aid," he added. Xi, who is seen as the frontrunner to succeed President Hu Jintao in 2013, said the two states should boost scientific and military cooperation. Belarus and China are set to strike commercial deals worth $3.4 billion, and continue talks for more joint projects in energy, telecommunications and car production. The two governments have already signed a deal to boost bilateral trade and economic cooperation during the Chinese vice president’s visit. "With China’s support, we plan to implement a number of huge investment projects," Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said. "As a president, I guarantee full support and security of Chinese investments in the Belarusian state."

MINSK, March 25 (RIA Novosti)

http://www.en.rian.ru/world/20100325/158303977.html

 Lukashenko: Belarus should be energy self-sufficient

26.03.2010 16:51

MINSK, 26 March (BelTA) – Matters vital for making Belarus energy self-sufficient should be dealt with within the next five years, the press service of the Belarusian head of state quoted President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko as saying at the state award ceremony on 26 March. “We have to ensure the security of our country. Due to historic reasons the foundation of our security depends on energy matters. This is why we actively seek new means, new technologies all over the world. Sooner or later we have to stop being dependent so that we would not be picked on continuously with claims that we live at someone else’s expense,” said the head of state. “We should prove that we are civilized, educated, strong-spirited people who can live their lives the way they want,” stressed Alexander Lukashenko. “Everything we do today we do to preserve the sovereignty of our country. Places like Belarus are virtually non-existent these days. Every other country has joined something, has become part of something else. Every country dances to someone else’s pipe. Naturally we understand that it is not that simple to be White Russia today and independence is not that easy to come by,” stressed Alexander Lukashenko. “The response to the cries of anguish from everywhere (yes, there are those who mess about in our country, they don’t care who we are friends with – West or East, they will say it is bad anyway) is simple: we just want to keep our country,” said the President. 26 March saw Alexander Lukashenko present state awards and commend 47 Belarus citizens. He singled out the deed of valor committed by the Belarusian pilots in Poland as he awarded Orders of Personal Bravery to the widows. The President said: “Colonels Alexander Zhuravlevich and Alexander Marfitsky showed a special kind of courage. They committed a deed of valor: in an emergency they steered the aircraft away from the town and paid with their lives to prevent deaths of citizens. Such a selfless act inspires pride in compatriots and yet fills our hearts with sorrow for the dead.”

http://www.belta.by/en/main_news?id=508562

 Foreign ministers of post-Soviet security group to meet in Moscow

06:36 25/03/2010

The council of ministers of a post-Soviet security group, the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), will gather in Moscow on Thursday to coordinate foreign policy. The top diplomats of seven ex-Soviet states are also expected to sign joint statements on Russian President Dmitry Medvedev’s European security initiative. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev proposed drawing up a new pan-European security pact in June 2008, and Russia published a draft of the treaty in late November 2009, sending copies to heads of state and international organizations, including NATO. The ministers will also adopt a joint statement on the 2010 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), to be held in May 2010 at UN Headquarters in New York. The CSTO comprises Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. Russia’s security strategy until 2020 approved by Medvedev envisions the CSTO as "a key mechanism to counter regional military challenges and threats."

MOSCOW, March 25 (RIA Novosti)

http://www.en.rian.ru/exsoviet/20100325/158305096.html