CSTO, NATO, SCO, Slavic Military & War.

[TsarSamuil]

Poland, Lithuania and Ukraine to set up "joint army"

16:2318/11/2009

MOSCOW. (RIA Novosti military commentator Ilya Kramnik) - Lithuania, Poland and Ukraine intend to create a combined military unit: a Lithuanian-Polish-Ukrainian brigade.

Ukraine believes a joint formation can help its armed forces meet NATO standards. The agreement was reached at talks in Brussels, attended by Ukraine's acting Defense Minister Valery Ivashchenko, Lithuania's Minister of National Defense Rasa Jukneviciene and Poland's Undersecretary of State for Defense Stanislaw Komorowski.

Combined units are a common practice in military cooperation. Within NATO, for example, a joint Franco-German brigade was organized in 1987. This alliance marked a milestone in cooperation between France and Germany, formerly enemies and later partners in post-war Europe.

In 1992, a rapid response force was established, consisting of troops from France, Germany, Spain, Belgium and Luxembourg. Now the unit is seen as one of the building blocks of the EU combined armed forces.

In 1999, Denmark, Germany and Poland set up a corps now known as Multinational Corps Northeast (MNC NE). Initially, it included Polish, Danish and German units and was later joined by the Baltic countries, Romania, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia and the United States. The core, however, is still made up of troops from the three founding nations, with headquarters in Stettin. In its ten years, its personnel have taken part in many drills and operations, including NATO's Afghanistan operation.

So, the Baltic military has cooperation experience with Polish troops. The Ukrainian military, too, has cooperation experience with NATO within the Partnership for Peace program.

There is also the Polish-Ukrainian peacekeeping battalion set up in the late 1990s, which includes units of the Polish 14th Tank Brigade and Ukrainian 310th Mechanized Regiment.

Establishment of a permanent brigade-class joint unit is expected to improve teamwork, allowing Ukrainians to grow into NATO's command, staff, tactical and logistic culture.

What are the aims and strategic objectives of the joint unit? Ukrainian NATO membership does not make much sense as an objective. The decision to accept a new member is a question for all NATO members, and the stand taken by Germany, Italy and some other bloc members makes it doubtful that Ukraine will soon join the North Atlantic Pact. Another key requirement for candidates is upgrading their armed forces to meet the bloc's standards. Ukraine, which is going through a deep economic and political crisis, has nothing to boast of in this respect. Ukrainian participation in the new brigade will not change this.

Nor it is likely that the purpose is to step up the peacekeeping efforts of Poland, Lithuania and Ukraine. Considering the situation in these countries, they cannot improve much over their current contributions to international operations.

Yet the new brigade may have a political objective. It is meant to set up an alternative center of military consolidation for West European projects, a center which could embrace former Soviet republics (above all Ukraine), now outside NATO. There is no doubt who will control this process, considering U.S. influence in Poland and the Baltics.

Such a unit would allow the U.S. to preserve and strengthen its influence in Eastern Europe, even if West European countries follow through with their project of establishing joint EU armed forces, which would weaken the U.S.'s role in NATO. Also, this formation would fit into the strategy of establishing a "cordon sanitaire" involving some East European countries and former Soviet republics, which would serve as a barrier to closer contacts and cooperation between Russia and Western Europe. True, the original intent of the strategy was to oppose Communist ideas, but this makes its present mission appear less than clear.

What's interesting about the report is that other countries can join the agreement reached by Poland, Lithuania and Ukraine.

[TsarSamuil]

Putin says state defense orders to rise 8.5% in 2010.

(RIA Novosti - 14:4121/11/2009) Russia's state defense orders will grow by 8.5% to 1.175 trillion rubles ($40.5 billion) in 2010, the prime minister told the ruling party on Saturday.

Addressing the United Russia party congress in St. Petersburg, Vladimir Putin said: "I consider the growth in military orders to be an important instrument for modernizing the military industrial complex itself, and also connected sectors, and providing a stimulus for the emergence of promising scientific developments, and production of new materials and components."

He also highlighted the need to "reliably guarantee Russia's independent access to crucially important military technologies."

Putin said that over the past year, the country's defense industry has grown by 4%.

Defense orders include spending on armaments by the military and security services, as well as outlays on repairs, modernization, and research and development.

[TsarSamuil]

Russia is ready to offer NATO tech support in Afghanistan.

RussiaToday.com
Published 26 November, 2009, 17:25

While Russia is ready to provide humanitarian and transportation support in Afghanistan, it's not willing to take part in the military action, says Vadim Kozyulin from Russian Center for Policy Studies.

Vid,
rt.com/Top_News/2009-11-26/russia-offer-support-nato.html

[TsarSamuil]

Poland to send up to 1,000 additional troops to Afghanistan.

Poland could send up to 1,000 additional troops to Afghanistan to boost its 2,000-strong military contingent in the country, the Polish Foreign Ministry said on Monday.

The ministry has received a plan drafted by the Defense Ministry to increase the military contingent in Afghanistan.

"There are likely to be less than 1,000 servicemen. A final decision will be announced by Prime Minister Donald Tusk," Piotr Paszkowski said.

A total of 15 Polish servicemen have been killed in Afghanistan, and over 100 injured since 2001. The U.S. has 68,000 troops in the country, and other NATO states have 45,000.

General Stanley McChrystal, the commander of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), earlier asked U.S. President Barack Obama to authorize the deployment of up to 40,000 additional troops to fight the Taliban insurgency.

The U.S. is also expected ask NATO countries to boost their contingents in Afghanistan, to fill the gap between the 34,000 the Pentagon expects Obama to send, and the 40,000 McChrystal has requested.

WARSAW, November 30 (RIA Novosti)

[TsarSamuil]

Macedonia to send more troops to Afghanistan

Macedonia to increase its small troop presence in Afghanistan next year

Staff AP News
Dec 02, 2009 13:52 EST

Macedonia says it will send more soldiers to Afghanistan.

President Gjorgje Ivanov has promised to deploy an extra 80 soldiers in February, raising the strength of its contingent 250.

Ivanov made the commitment Wednesday in a letter to U.S. President Barack Obama, his office said.

Macedonia, a small country in southeastern Europe, has participated in the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan since 2002.

Its force provides security at the ISAF camp in Kabul.

[TsarSamuil]

Bulgaria Confirms Afghanistan Commitment.

Novinite.com
Defense | December 5, 2009, Saturday

Bulgaria has deposited EUR 100 000 in the NATO fund for the strengthening of the Alliance’s Afghanistan mission.

The information was reported Saturday by the Bulgarian information agency BTA, citing Foreign Minister, Rumiana Jeleva, who attended the NATO summit in Brussels, dedicated to the Afghanistan mission.

The meeting’s agenda focused on the new strategy of the NATO Afghanistan mission, proposed by US President, Barak Obama, and the US appeals to increase NATO efforts in the region.

In addition to the deposit, Bulgaria is expected to send to Afghanistan a second group of 20-25 military instructors to train Afghani forces.

It was reported that the restrictions of the activities of the Bulgarian rangers in Afghanistan and the airport in Kabul have been lifted. The rangers now can act outside the airport, not just inside its security zone.

Bulgaria also held talks with US officials for the use of the Novo Selo military ground for the training of Afghani servicemen.

[TsarSamuil]

US, Poland sign US deployment accord.

Fri Dec 4, 3:14 pm ET

WARSAW (AFP) – The United States and Poland have drawn up an accord regulating the stationing of US troops in Poland, the defence ministry said Friday, opening the way for the deployment of US Patriot missiles.

The accord was given the final backing of Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk Friday and will be signed in Warsaw next Thursday, ministry spokesman Robert Rochowicz told AFP.

"Talks on the accord to allow a US military presence in our country have been concluded with success," he said.

The Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) is a pre-requisite to setting up a US ground-to-air missile base in Poland. US officials say deployment should start in 2010.

During an October visit to Warsaw by US Vice President Joe Biden, Tusk said his country was ready to join a new US anti-missile system in central Europe.

US Defence Secretary Robert Gates has said the United States wants to deploy SM-3 missiles in Poland and the neighbouring Czech Republic in 2015.

Gates' announcement came after President Barack Obama scrapped a plan agreed in 2008 to install a controversial anti-missile shield system in the two countries.

The shield, promoted by president George W. Bush when he was in office, had angered Russia which considered it a threat to Russian security.

The Patriots and SM-3s are part of the new system proposed by the United States.

[Orao]

What the hell is this shit now?
Don't the Poles, Czechs etc. feel lucky being the middle (fighting) ground between the US/West and whoever else in the east Russia, Iran, North Korea?

[TsarSamuil]

Those that go to fight, are professional soldiers that sign contract, it's not average grunt, or young kid. These guys sign up for combat, it's their way of life, I don't cry over them, they made their choices. Also, the life of a Taliban terrorist is worth zero, the only contribution to the world those rabid baboons make, are target practise.

Bulgarians going makes sense, BG is in Balkans, next to Turkey, close to middle east & caucasus. Having forces that are battlehardened n professional would be good should there ever erupt a conflict in our neighborhood (very likely to happen in this region).

But Czechs? Who are they gonna defend against? Some Swizz customer that didn't pay for the beer he ordered in Prague?

[White Cossack]

Are you jealous with the fact that Czechs won't let you lick american boots by yourselves? Don't worry, americans have a big enough boot for you all.

[TsarSamuil]

Ukraine strikes $2.4-bln arms deal with Iraq — media.

Ukraine will deliver a variety of military equipment to Iraq under a recent deal worth an estimated $2.4 billion, a Russian newspaper reported.

According to the Nezavisimaya Gazeta daily, the deal between the state arms exporter UkrSpetsExport and the Iraqi defense ministry is the largest in Ukraine's history and could lift the ex-Soviet republic to the 4th or 5th place among the top arms dealers in the world from the current 14th.

The new contract will ensure orders for over 80 Ukrainian firms, including the state-run Progress machine-building plant in Berdichev, which produced T-80UD tanks for Pakistan in the 1990s, the paper said in an article published on Wednesday.

Nezavisimaya Gazeta cited Sergei Zgurets, head of research at the Kiev-based Center for Army, Conversion and Disarmament Studies (CACDS) as saying the deal could have been influenced by Washington as the U.S. has allocated up to $3 billion in military aid to ready the Iraqi police and armed forces for the task of policing the country after the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq.

Sources close to the Ukrainian Defense Ministry told the newspaper that the deal included the delivery of an unspecified number of armored vehicles, transport planes and high-precision weaponry.

Ukraine will also provide repair and maintenance services for the sold equipment.

Although the Ukrainian sources refused to comment on the political aspect of the deal, the newspaper suggested it could have a negative impact on the relations between Ukrainian and Russian arms manufacturers because Russia was actively seeking arms contracts with Iraq.

"This deal will certainly cause concern in Russia as Ukraine, which has always been one of Russia's main competitors on global arms markets, is now reestablishing its positions in this sphere," Nezavisimaya Gazeta cited a source in the Ukrainian military.

MOSCOW, December 10 (RIA Novosti)

[TsarSamuil]

Poland, US sign deployment accord.

Fri Dec 11, 10:04 am ET

WARSAW (AFP) – Poland and the United States on Friday signed an agreement on the status of US troops in the eastern European country ahead of the deployment of US Patriot missiles.

"This agreement allows the stationing of US soldiers and materiel in Poland," Polish Defence Minister Bogdan Klich told the press. "For Poland it means that its security will be strengthened."

The Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) is a pre-requisite to setting up a US ground-to-air missile base in Poland. US officials say deployment should start in 2010.

Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security, Ellen Tauscher, who signed the accord, hailed the agreement as "the latest example of the very strong and enduring relationship that we only want to make deeper between the United States of America and Poland".

The agreement was signed by Deputy Defence Minister Stanislaw Komorowski for the Polish side.

"We have entered a good agreement because it reflects well our interests as the host country," said Klich.

"It is also good because it very well reflects our allied cooperation between Poland and the United States (...) and because it adds detail to the NATO SOFA agreement which is the major agreement because it sets the conditions of the stationing of foreign troops in another NATO country."

In accordance with the agreement, Poland retains its primacy of jurisdiction, Klich added.

The signing ceremony, originally scheduled for Thursday, was delayed for one day to make sure both sides will interpret certain provisions concurrently.

Defence ministry officials said disagreements focussed on possible wrongdoings by US soldiers.

"We hope that no US soldier who will be on the territory of the Republic of Poland will break the law," said Klich.

"But if that was to happen, that soldier would be subject to the responsibility and liable under a Polish court, unless at the request of the US side, this liability will be transferred over to the US side."

US soldiers will also pay their taxes in the United States.

During an October visit to Warsaw by US Vice President Joe Biden, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said his country was ready to join a new US anti-missile system in central Europe.

US Defence Secretary Robert Gates has said the United States wants to deploy SM-3 missiles in Poland and the neighbouring Czech Republic in 2015.

Gates' announcement came after President Barack Obama scrapped a plan agreed in 2008 to install a controversial anti-missile shield system in the two countries.

The shield, promoted by Obama's predecessor George W. Bush, had angered Russia which considered it a threat to its security.

The Patriots and SM-3s are part of the new system proposed by the United States.

[TsarSamuil]

Lukoil wins West Qurna-2 contract.

RussiaToday.com
Published 12 December, 2009, 18:07

Russian oil company, Lukoil, has won the auction to develop the West Qurna-2 oil field in Iraq.

One of the world’s largest untapped oil fields, West Qurna-2, was awarded to Lukoil by Iraqi Oil Minister Hussein al-Shahristani ending a lengthy bidding process which had been keenly contested.

"We can announce that Lukoil has won the contract to develop the West Qurna-2 oilfield,"

Saturday’s West Qurna-2 boost for Lukoil came a day after consortiums led by Shell and CNPC were awarded contracts for other oil fields. That brings about 7 new development agreements in Iraq which are expected to increase Iraqi oil production by an estimated 4.7 million barrels per day in coming years.

With known reserves of 12.9 billion barrels, West Qurna-2 is west of the Majnoon field, which was awarded to Shell and Petronas, and north of the Halfaya field awarded to CNPC and France's Total on Friday.

Lukoil and Norwegian partner StatoilHydro, won the right to develop the field with a bid of $1.15 for each barrel extracted from the oil field. They expected to produce 1.8 million barrels a day from the field, with the two sharing an 85-15 production split in the Russian company’s favour.

In a statement Lukoil Chief Executive Officer, Vagit Alekperov, hailed the outcome as having strategic importance for the company.

“We have been struggling for this project over these years trying to stick to the word given to our shareholders. We tried hard to achieve this deserved victory and intend to meet all the obligations in connection with the development of West Qurna-2 to the benefit of the Iraqi people and our shareholders. This project has a strategic importance for our company,”

[TsarSamuil]

10/28/2009 09:29
RUSSIA - IRAQ

Iraq, private Russian security guards instead of the foreign armies.

Former Russian military troops guarantee the investment interests of the former Soviets in Baghdad. They boast of being "very diplomatic", unlike the Americans. But carry more weapons into the country.

Moscow (AsiaNews) - As foreign troops engaged in Iraq gradually reduced their presence to make way for the Iraqi army and police, new contractor security companies are elbowing in. Proud of "not being like the Americans of Blackwater" - the U.S. private military company banned from Iraq for excessive use of force - the new security experts in Iraq are now the former Soviet Union.

According to reports from the TV channel Russia Today, a special group of former Russian commando in the employ of Oryol – one of the biggest security companies in the Federation - is undergoing intensive training in preparation for their deployment in torn Middle Eastern country.

"Oryol (" Eagle ") - says the Russian broadcaster in, tied to the Kremlin - is composed of highly trained former military officers who are preparing to ensure the safety of Russian technical personnel, diplomats and commercial presence in Iraq”. Employees include former Russian secret service agents. "Despite the strong background of our military men – says the head of the Oryol training Centre, Sergey Epishkin - one of the particular strategies we have adopted is a form of diplomacy, which allows us to have good relations with Western forces, Iraqi forces and the population”.

But in a country like Iraq, where more than 150 deaths in the attack Sunday in Baghdad point out that the situation remains incandescent, diplomacy alone does not seem sufficient. So Oryol has asked the Kremlin for adequate legislative support for its operations abroad, or a regulation that gives its contractors more freedom of action.

Indeed, unlike the infamous Blackwater colleagues, from a legal standpoint, the men of Oryol are not considered a "private security force," but mere advisers. "We have no status, no rights - said one of the Centre instructors, Oleg Pyrsin - and if someone asks us why we are armed, we can only respond that it is for self-defence."

The need, explains Oryol, is for a legal framework that allows a softening of restrictions imposed on contractors on the use of weapons abroad. The Duma could consider the request soon, thus opening the door to other security companies.

Human rights activists, however, warn against the possibility that it may grant a summary "license to kill" not just terrorists but also innocent civilians. As was the case with Blackwater. Last year the Iraqi government declared the U.S. company "non grata" in the country, and did not renew its license for 2009, following the killing of 17 civilians in Baghdad in 2007 at the hands of its contractors.

[TsarSamuil]

Wednesday, 16 December 2009

Nato chief seeks Russian helicopters for Afghanistan.

BBC

Nato Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen has asked Russia to provide helicopters to Afghanistan to help win the war against the Taliban insurgency.

During talks in Moscow he also asked Russia to help train Afghan forces.

Russia said it would study the request. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov welcomed what he called a new "readiness for dialogue" between Russia and Nato.

Mr Rasmussen's visit is the first by a Nato chief since relations chilled after last year's Russian-Georgian war.

The three-day visit, including talks with President Dmitry Medvedev and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, signifies the alliance's determination to strengthen ties with Moscow, analysts say.

Common ground

Mr Rasmussen said he had presented Russian leaders with a list of "concrete proposals" on helping Nato confront the Taliban insurgency.

"I think Russia could contribute in a very concrete way by providing helicopters, helicopter training and spare parts," he said.

Helicopters are considered a crucial asset in the war against the Taliban, for their ability to move troops around and provide air support. Nato allies have found a shortage of helicopters one of the main handicaps in fighting the insurgency.

The Kremlin says it wants Nato to win in Afghanistan and is willing to help. But so far its support has been largely rhetorical, says the BBC's Rupert Wingfield-Hayes in Moscow.

Russia still sees Nato as fundamentally an anti-Russian military alliance, our correspondent says.

So Mr Rasmussen's focus on Afghanistan is designed to find common ground.

"Disagreements should not overshadow the fact that, basically, we share security interests in many areas because we are faced with the same threats," Mr Rasmussen said before the talks on Wednesday.

Mr Lavrov said that while they recognised there were differences between them, both sides were trying "to normalise relations and bring them to a new level".

Sensitive subject

Analysts say the atmosphere between the alliance and Moscow has improved recently. Earlier this month, the Nato-Russia Council convened for the first time since the Georgia conflict.

During this visit, discussions on missile defence, Iran and a joint review of new security challenges are expected to take place.

The expansion of Nato remains a sensitive issue between the two sides, with Russia firmly opposed to any move towards membership by Ukraine or Georgia.

Mr Rasmussen has previously said they would become Nato members as and when they satisfied the necessary criteria, but emphasised that Moscow should not see that as a threat.