Russian Strategy in the Arctic

August 20, 2015

Marat Ramazanov

PolitRussia.com

Translated for Fort Russ by the Soviet Bear

[PolitRussia is the first Russian analytical resource which accompanies its articles with short youtube version for a wider reach in social media]

Our country has consistently increased its influence in the Arctic int he recent times. The importance of this region is due to several factors. There are rich reserves of oil and gas on the continental shelf of the Arctic. It is important to control the region so our shores are safe from the navy of some country, very intrusive in terms of 'democratic values'. Not to forget our other strategic project related to the Arctic region — the Northern Sea route.

Russia has a right to a significant portion of the Arctic. And this right is based on the results of scientific research expeditions. For example, in 2007, our scientists studying the soil near the North pole, proved that the Lomonosov ridge is a continuation of the Siberian continental platform.

In addition to coastal areas, islands and waters, which are most relevant to Russia, there are places in the far North where our country also plays a role, such as Svalbard [Spitsbergen archipelago]. 

Geographically, the islands belong to Norway, but, according to the "Treaty of 1920", Russia has the right to carry out scientific research and commercial activities on the islands and in the adjacent territorial waters on equal terms with Norway. By the way, the second largest settlement on Svalbard — Barentsburg, is located in the Russian jurisdiction. There are the "Arktikugol" [meaning "Arctic Coal"] company, the Orthodox Church and, possibly, the northernmost statue of Lenin.

This year Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin visited Barentsburg, which caused great dissatisfaction on the part of the leadership of Norway. The Scandinavians have even decided to restrict access to the archipelago for persons who are on the sanctions list of the European Union. What does Norway has to do with the EU is unclear, but the unanimity of the Western States in their negative attitude towards Russia is not surprising. By the way, the Norwegian decision contradicts the above Spitsbergen treaty. Our foreign ministry expressed protest. If the Norwegians decide to send military units to the territory of Spitsbergen, which is part of our country, it would be the de facto breach of the treaty and, probably, Russia will react differently.

Barentsburg

Military presence as a reliable argument

In order to be able to respond not only in vocal protest, we need to have some serious basis. For example, we should strengthen military capabilities in the Arctic, which is what Russia has recently been doing. The landing of paratroopers on ice has become a matter of habit. In 2015 paratroopers from Belarus and Tajikistan joined in the exercises in the harsh Northern conditions.

But we should not stop there. It is necessary to build new military ports. Yes, we need to upgrade the ones we already have. On the shores of the Arctic ocean we have ports (military and civilian) — Dixon, Pevek, Tiksi. They should be developed first of all.

It is important to constantly ensure that our country has the most advanced military equipment and weapons for use at extremely low temperatures. Fortunately, in recent times we have been doing fine in this regard. It would be nice for civil vehicles to be suitable for Arctic conditions too. Here, for example, UAZ "Patriot" was made suitable for use in the Arctic.


The importance of International law

Once our military superiority in the Arctic is ensured, we can proceed to the development of the region as a whole. The Federation Council has already prepared the concept of the law on development of the Arctic. To make other countries refrain from encroaching on the Russian Arctic, it is necessary to secure our right to it with international documents. In August this year, Russia has re-filed an application to the UN for the extension of the domain in the Arctic by the addition of the Lomonosov ridge and other areas of the shelf, which is a continuation of the mainland. Our first attempt to secure the Arctic areas for ourselves in international law was more than a dozen years ago. Then the bid also included the sea of Okhotsk. After the failure of our diplomats we decided to obtain the rights to these territories one by one. Let me remind you that the sea of Okhotsk was recognized exclusively Russian in 2014, Now is the turn of the Arctic.

Integrated control system of the Arctic

Speaking about the Arctic, it is worth mentioning the emerging integrated system of control of the region, which should appear before 2025. The system will include civil and military segments. Thanks to its operation, Russian military and civilian agencies will be always aware of developments in the Arctic region, and will be able to instantly react to any changes of interest or danger to our country.

Why is the control system being created so quickly? We have already answered this question: the Arctic is a region rich in hydrocarbons and of interest to many influential powers. Russia has to gain a foothold on the territory in the near future, because after 10 years the need for hydrocarbons in the world will grow. And only powerful military capabilities can discourage the “luminaries of democracy" to dictate terms in the Russian Arctic.

The oligarchs are cooking a "Tariff Maidan"

August 20, 2015

Vladimir Raichenko

Politnavigator

Translated for Fort Russ by J. Arnoldski

Deputy of the Verkhovna Rada and member of the parliamentary faction "Bloc of Petro Poroshenko", Sergey Kaplin, has called Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk an “enemy of the people” and “mafiozi” and has called for a new Maidan against the executive authorities.

The information bulletins of the "Party of Ordinary People” recently established and headed by Kaplin, with the above-mentioned claims, was distributed on the streets of Kiev, a correspondent of “PolitNavigator” reports.

Photographs of thousands rallying on the main square in Kiev adorn the front page with the inscription: “We’ll start a Maidan against the "Yatsenyuk tariffs.”

“Enough with the talk about 'Yatsenyuk’s tariffs’ from the talk-show podium. He doesn’t care to hear us. Only a "Tariff Maidan" will stop the Prime Minister, a key role in which must be played by the people of Kiev,” - the leader of the newly-fledged party, who once hacked to pieces with an axe the door to the office of the mayor of Poltava, explained in the pages of the newspaper.

Thus far, Kaplin’s rhetoric has only become harsher and more radical.

“Together with ordinary Ukrainians I will go by foot through the towns and villages,” he promised, “We will build a real Maidan against the tariffs of Yatsenyuk, we will demand his resignation, and, if necessary, re-elections to the Verkhovna Rada. We will not forgive betrayal. There is no place for enemies of the Ukrainian people in parliament and government.”

Kaplin promises to mercilessly fight not only the high tariffs, but also corruption and the oligarchs, although he avoids direct criticism of the oligarch whose parliamentary fraction he’s a part of: Poroshenko. 

To the question of how to achieve all of this, he replies: 

“I have three answers for this question. Maidan, Maidan, and Maidan again.”

Besides Yatsenyuk himself, his close circle is also attacked in a collage with the caption: “Yatsenyuk’s mafia didn’t let us choose.” Besides Yatsenyuk, Oleksandr Turchynov, Arsen Avakov, and Sergey Pashinski are discerned.

In the conclusion the bulletin of the the party said: "We are going to the polls in the city council."

According to the information of “PolitNavigator,” the oligarchical group of Firtash-Levochkin is the sponsor of colorful politician which in competing with Yatsenyuk camp and is believed to be involved in organizing the initial stage of a Maidan 2.0. Sergey Kaplin ended up in the Bloc of Petro Poroshenko as part of an agreement with Klichko’s UDAR, financial aid to whom was also provided by Firtash and which the oligarch Firtash revealed under oath in Austrian court.

Earlier, Sergei Caplin issued an ultimatum to the West, threatening that Ukraine will start producing nuclear weapons, if it doesn't receive effective assistance from the US and the EU.

The Russian/Chechen trail from Maidan to the ATO

August 20, 2015

Alexey Zotyev

Cassad.net

Translated for Fort Russ by J. Arnoldski

The fact that mercenaries are fighting in the ranks of the Ukrainian army and in units under the control of the Ministry of the Interior is something that has been widely reported. Neo-nazis and radicals of all kind, seeking adventure and easy money, flocked to the Ukrainian side once the fratricidal conflict broke out in the country. Some are fighting for money, which was abundantly poured into the UAF budget by the American government, and some are fighting for an idea. But what is the idea in a fratricidal civil war?

Russia did not remain on the sidelines. Almost immediately, as soon as the volunteers from Russia flocked to Novorossia to help local militia, appeared another stream, less bustling, but no less stable. Ranks of radical nationalists and other public, including the representatives of openly criminal organizations, flocked from Russia to Ukraine. At first, they covered their faces and avoided the camera lens, but soon, believing in their "unique mission" began to give interviews in which they shared their revelations about the motives that led them to the side of the Ukrainian security services.

Most of those who agreed to speak on camera said that they went to the ATO to fight against the criminal Russian regime which had unleashed a fratricidal war in Ukraine. Accordingly, none of them mentioned the generous funding of the National Guard battalions joined by the Russian citizens, most of whom are wanted in their country, and that the war in Donbass was started by Poroshenko.

Well alright, let them believe what they want, it's easier. Easier to kill. But there is one more thing which they preferred not to voice: many of them went to Ukraine long before the civil war broke out in the country. Mercenaries from all over the world played a significant role in the organization of Maidan in 2013 and the subsequent coup. They were the force that spilled the first blood in Kiev. Then they joined the ranks of territorial battalions and continued their "struggle for an idea" already in Donbass, killing civilians and destroying the peaceful cities.

This document, which has not yet been freely released, features a Russian citizen born in the Chechen republic, Ruslan Arsaev, with the call sign “Chechen,” who is a fighter of the “Aidar” battalion (V0624). This document didn’t appear by chance. With fighters of “Aidar,” Arsaev presented themselves as fighters of a counterintelligence battalion. It is indicated that this citizen of Russia did indeed participate in the ATO in contingent V0624, but there is no counterintelligence battalion there. In principle, the presence or absence of counterintelligence in the battalion "Aidar" is of little interest to us. The other information is important: Arsaev, according to this document, actively participated in the confrontations on the Maidan in 2013-2014. He took part not alone, but as part of a group of others who were “visiting Ukrainian patriots" like himself. Now it becomes clear who is the main driving force "of the Ukrainian national revolution."

Arsaev himself, who not long ago was the pride of the Maidan and a hero of the ATO, was arrested on the territory of the Schastye settlement in Lugansk region on April 20, 2015. The fake counterintelligence agent was charged with the creation of bandit groups with all the implications - robbery, looting, and participation in anti-state protests. This “hero of Ukraine” is now doing his time, but how many more such people are fighting in the ranks of the UAF or the National Guard? Are they fighting and killing for the glory of Ukraine?

Source: Poroshenko is planning an operation to destroy DPR and LPR with NATO support

August 20, 2015

Novorossia.su

Translated for Fort Russ by J. Arnoldski

According to a source in the general staff of the UAF, at the meeting of Hollande, Merkel and Poroshenko, the latter will seek approval to conduct a military operation to destroy the DPR and LPR.

The scenario as follows: 

At Poroshenko’s request and in view of a Russian aggression (after a false flag with chemical weapons or depleted uranium, etc.), Germany and France will agree to deploy a “peacekeeping” mission on the territory of Ukraine (the DPR and LPR being Ukrainian territory).

Under the pretext of parachuting NATO units with armored vehicles as part of a training exercises, they will plant a tactical group of paratroopers in the border region with Russia (presumably the regions of Krasnodon, Dolzhansky, Uspenka, Novoazovsk in order to contain the passages) with simultaneous strikes by UAF units from Mariupol:

• from Granitnoe and Novognatovka-Elenvoka they’ll strike Starobeshevo with deployment to the North and South
• from Avdeevka-Krasnogorovka to Makeevka and Khartsizsk with cutting off Gorlovka 
• Svetlodarsk to Shakhtersk, Snezhnoe, Krasny Luch
• from Krymsky to Lutugino and Stanichno-Luganskoe to Sukhodolsk and Krasnodon

Tank wedges will split the NAF defense, blocking the cities and metropolitan areas which will be swept by a second echelon.

The armed forces of the Russian Federation will not intervene, since a direct clash with NATO units would lead to a war under very disadvantageous conditions for Russia.

The sweep of metropolitan areas will be conducted as in the Yugoslav scenario without contact by massive air and artillery strikes.

The only constraining factor is concern over direct contact with the armed forces of the Russian Federation since the level of training of individual units (from privates to commanders of tactical battalion groups) and motivation is much higher than in the majority of NATO units. The level of strategic thinking of the high command of the armed forces of the Russian Federation is very highly appraised.