Security policy Russia is presenting its military forces in many directions – the number of military exercises is exceptional

Abroad|Security policy

No days without news of Russian maneuvers.

In the Black Sea, the Russian navy has been practicing shooting targets in the air and at sea, the Russian defense ministry said on Friday.

In the southern Rostov region of Don, Russian artillery, on Friday, practiced destroying the enemy with howitzers.

There is activity in the vicinity of Finland as well. In the Leningrad region, the S-400 anti-aircraft battery has been training to fight an air attack against a “fake enemy,” he said. Russian Ministry of Defense on Friday afternoon.

Military alliance Secretary General of NATO Jens Stoltenberg again, thousands of combat-ready Russian soldiers and, among other things, S-400 anti-aircraft batteries were now transferred to Belarus, according to Reuters news agency on Friday.

Belarus and Russia are scheduled to train together in the “Allied Determination” military exercises, which are likely to continue well into February.

From Ukraine, there are various military exercises and large concentrations of troops in almost every direction.

In addition, the Russian navy says it is training hard in the world’s seas – or in the world’s oceans, as the old Russian phrase says (Mirovoi Okean).

Where from Russia’s striking military activity says?

It can be said that it is a matter of continuing diplomacy through troop transfers. This is how at least the United States, Russia’s strongest opponent in the Ukraine conflict, sees it.

“It’s the same as if you or I had a conversation or negotiation,” described the U.S. ambassador to Moscow. John Sullivan on Friday at the press conference.

“If I put a gun on the table and say I came with peaceful intentions, it’s threatening. That’s what we’re seeing now. ”

Sullivan referred in particular to the concentration of Russian troops near the Ukrainian border. The most common estimate is that there are about a hundred thousand of these soldiers, and Sullivan says the number is not explained by any military exercises.

Military exercises the quantity and quality are not at the usual level, says a Finnish military expert.

“Yes, the number is exceptional, and the timing is also exceptional,” says Major General Evp. Pekka Toveriwho, before joining the reserve, worked as the Intelligence Chief of the General Staff.

According to the comrade, the time is different from the usual, rhythmic training rhythm of the Russian armed forces.

Regionally the solutions are also exceptional, Toveri says.

“Usually the troops train close to the home garrisons, but now the troops are concentrated to the west all the way to the Far East.”

It is also anomalous that Belarus has a fairly large concentration of troops, Toveri says. The joint exercises between Russia and Belarus have been much smaller in the past.

“Russia wants to send a signal that it has the readiness and ability to act in surprising directions at times of surprise.”

Belarus is Ukraine ‘s northern neighbor, with a shortest distance of one hundred kilometers from the border with the capital of Ukraine, Kiev.

In the Belarus operation, Major General Toveri pays attention to the quality of the troops and equipment.

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“The Russians have always been masters in maskirovka, or deception.”

The landing troops assigned to the military exercises are among the best in the Russian forces, ie, according to Tover, they are “well-trained elite infantry”. The Su-35 fighters, as well as the S-400 anti-aircraft batteries, are the “best tooth” of the armed forces.

According to Tover, the range of the radar-searching missiles is 400 kilometers if the conditions are optimal.

“Exceptional performance, an exceptionally large crowd, at an exceptional time,” he sums up the setup in Belarus.

Russian military activity is currently undisputed and the crisis in Ukraine is at a serious turning point. Information about the Russian armed forces is still to be viewed with caution.

“The Russians have always been masters in maskirovka, or deception,” says Toveri.

The spectacular hard-battle shooting is easy to set up, and moving the troops effortlessly makes the media sexy.

“In the past, Russia may have announced that 150,000 troops will take part in the military exercises, when in reality the number has been much smaller,” says Toveri.

Feint can in many ways. It is almost a classic martial art, the most famous representative of which is a Chinese strategist who lived 2,500 years ago. Sunzi.

“It is a Russian doctrine to pay attention in some direction,” says Toveri.

“Then we work in the other direction. They are good at this. ”