MOSCOW, December 12 (RIA Novosti) – Russian society lacks “spiritual braces” to hold it together, and should look to education and “traditional values” to change that, President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday.
“It pains me to speak of this … but Russian society today lacks spiritual braces – kindness, sympathy, compassion toward one another, support and mutual assistance, a deficit of that which has always, throughout history, made us stronger,” Putin said in his state-of-the-nation address in Moscow.
While government interference in people’s convictions and views smacks of “totalitarianism” and is “absolutely unacceptable,” the state should focus on strengthening society’s “spiritual-moral foundation” through education and youth policy, Putin said.
He instructed the government to prepare a supplementary educational program focusing on “vospitanie” – a Russian cultural concept that refers to preparing young people for adulthood, usually through moral upbringing and conferring rules of etiquette, values and traditions.
In terms of impact on young people, schools are losing to the Internet and electronic media, Putin said, and should restore their “unconditional value” by updating curricula and offering a wide range of electives, accessible to all children regardless of family income.
He also stressed the importance of teaching history and Russian language and emphasized the need to strengthen national identity, in part through connecting “historical epochs into a single whole.” In that vein, Putin proposed creating a memorial to the heroes of World War I and restoring famous tsarist-era military units, including the Preobrazhensky and Semyonovsky regiments, founded by Peter the Great.
While Putin did not explicitly refer to religion during the live broadcast on state television, the camera panned to a group of clerics as he spoke of support for “traditional values.”
“We must wholly support institutions that are the bearers of traditional values and have historically proven their ability to transmit them from generation to generation,” Putin said, without elaborating.
The president also praised grassroots charity activism, which is on the rise in the country, and promised a separate meeting with their volunteers in the unspecified near future.
January 31st, 2013, 15:35
American Patriot
Re: The Rise of the Second Soviet Empire
Jan 31, 6:54 AM EST
City renames itself Stalingrad to mark battle
MOSCOW (AP) -- The southern Russian city where the Red Army decisively turned back Nazi forces in a key World War II battle will once again be known as Stalingrad, at least on the days commemorating the victory.
The city was renamed Volgograd in 1961 as part of the Soviet Union's rejection of dictator Joseph Stalin's personality cult. But the name Stalingrad is inseparable with the battle, in which at least 1.25 million people died.
Russia on Saturday plans extensive ceremonies to mark the 70th anniversary of the battle's end.
The Volgograd city council passed a measure Thursday to use the name Stalingrad in city statements on the commemoration day, on Russia's May 9 Victory Day and on four other days connected with the battle, the ITAR-Tass news agency reported.
April 15th, 2013, 13:38
American Patriot
Re: The Rise of the Second Soviet Empire
Russia says US signals desire to ease tensions
April 15, 2013 13:00 GMT
MOSCOW (AP) -- Russia's foreign minister says that President Barack Obama's administration has signaled its desire to overcome the current strain in ties and focus on cooperation.
Russia-US relations took a nosedive recently with Washington announcing sanctions against Russian officials accused of rights violations and Russia retaliating by banning U.S. adoption of Russian children. On Friday, the U.S. released a list of 18 Russians targeted for sanctions and Moscow responded over the weekend with a list of 18 Americans.
Sergey Lavrov said after his meeting with Tom Donilon, Obama's national security adviser, that the U.S. administration had promised to work on solving these issues.
Donilon also met Monday in Moscow with Russia's President Vladimir Putin and handed him a letter from Obama. Putin's aide, Yuri Ushakov, said the letter was "quite constructive."
As Russia Bans gay propaganda- stands up for Christians in Africa and the middle east promotes Christianity in its own country-One wonders who’s side is god on as the Russian economy becomes biggest in Europe. Europe which is doing the exact opposite is seeing the implosion of its economies in fact all western nations are in decline.
According to data from the World Bank, Russia’s economy has jumped ahead of all the European nations, becoming the fifth largest worldwide in terms of GDP. Experts are confident that, in the future, the gap between the Russian Federation and the Old World will widen further.
According to data published by the World Bank in July, Russia is fighting the global economic crisis much more successfully than most developed countries. Based on GDP adjusted for purchasing power parity (PPP), Russia jumped ahead of all the EU nations in 2012, including Germany, which is number six in the world.
Ahead of Russia in the top five were the United States, China, India and Japan. The World Bank data substantiated the IMF rankings published in late 2012, even though the IMF rankings put Russia in sixth place, slightly behind Germany.
July’s World Bank rankings of GDP adjusted for PPP further confirm the noteworthy level of the Russian economy, experts say. According to IMF data on nominal GDP, Russia rose from ninth to eighth place.
In addition, in early July, the World Bank shifted Russia to the group of countries with high national income per capita; for the last decade, Russia was in the category of upper middle income.
The ascent in the rankings will become a significant advantage for Russia’s accession to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), which is planned for 2015. To raise per capita GDP, OECD experts recommend increasing labor productivity, stimulating innovation, and implementing financial and tax regulation.
The success of Russia’s economy does not surprise experts. According to Yaroslav Lissovolik, chief economist at Deutsche Bank, the ranking by GDP adjusted for PPP fully reflects the consumption of goods and services in the economy.
“The Russian economy is generating growth due to favorable oil prices, at a time when Europe is in a recession and its prospects for exiting this recession are not clear. The situation in southern Europe, which affects Germany and other countries, is particularly complicated.
Consequently, Russia is losing less from the current crisis than Europe is. Moreover, over the last year and a half, the ruble has shown decent results against a backdrop of decline on other developing markets,” Lissovolik said.
Dmitry Orlov, CEO of the Agency for Political and Economic Communications, also believes that Russia’s place in the GDP rankings is completely justified. “Due to our problems, in terms of gross product and purchasing power, we are far from China but much higher than Europe,” he said.
During recent negotiations, Vladimir Putin demonstrated his skill at using peace as a weapon, and placed Russia in a position to take the title of the guardian of democracy and western values.
While Russia’s human and civil rights policies are only slightly better than those of the United States, the unapologetic nature of President Putin places him on a higher moral ground. Some of his actions may be unfavorable to certain parts of his country, but they are done in the open with a "love it or leave it" attitude. The United States, however, has developed a reputation for hypocrisy.
In 2007, we held congressional hearings into Yahoo’s involvement with getting a journalist, Shi Tao, arrested in China. The United States condemned his 10-year sentence for sharing state secrets on a website. Chelsea Manning was just sentence to 35 years for the same activities.
The systematic nature of those abuses is also very different. For example, when the Russian army kills civilians in a counter-insurgency operation, they do it with artillery that is notoriously inaccurate, and it is not a calculated decision. When the United States kills civilians, it is with a drone strike approved after a commander sees a live feed of the target, and the missile is accurate to within one meter. Even with the lesser technology, Russia has killed half as many civilians in a counter insurgency operation lasting the same amount of time.
With the notable exception of gay rights, Russia beats the United States in almost every metric of individual liberty. With many expecting a reboot of the Cold War, it will be interesting to see who plays the villain this time.
Update 1-hour after print: The United States Senate delays vote on a Syrian strike, partially because of President Putin's efforts.
In the next 10 years, the government will spend 22 trillion. rubles for re Russian armed forces.
Under the State Armaments Program for 2011-2020. for the Army planned to buy:
- 1000 helicopters
- 600 combat aircraft
- 100 warships
- A new generation of intercontinental missiles
- Modern air defense system
By 2020, the fleet of military equipment upgraded by 70%.
YuoTube 1 week ago
This is an old video .. I will not tell others about the industry, but I live in a town where produce "Northwind" ... All we have good ... My number one city in the world from such, it is not the pathos, it's true ... Nowhere is there such technologies, capacities and development in the world. as we have, and the City was built in 1937 specifically for this. Never voted for Putin, but now, he does a lot for the defense and voennyh.Hochetsya that we finally became proud of what we, Russian,
Mila Svistoplyasova 3 days ago
We Russians too long Chmarov , wanted us ashamed of my country , but the people of Russia is patient , but not forever .... More and more people see, the more I want to be proud lo Motherland!
October 8th, 2013, 15:29
American Patriot
Re: The Rise of the Second Soviet Empire
Here you go, you damned Putin lovers. Coming to an America Near You.... with Obama.
Russian protester found guilty and sent for forced psychiatric treatment
Associated Press
MOSCOW – A Russian man who participated in an anti-Kremlin protest has been convicted of "calling for mass riots" and sent for forced psychiatric treatment.
Mikhail Kosenko was one of 28 people arrested after clashes broke out between demonstrators and police at a protest on May, 6, 2012, the eve of President Vladimir Putin's inauguration for a third term.
The prosecution claimed that Kosenko used violence against policemen, but said a psychiatric examination found he "wasn't able to realize the public danger of his actions" due to a "chronic mental disorder."
Human rights activists assailed Tuesday's ruling, describing it as the return of the Soviet practice of using punitive psychiatry against dissidents.
After returning to the presidency last year, Putin has cracked down on street protests and other demonstrations of dissent.
October 8th, 2013, 23:56
Avvakum
Re: The Rise of the Second Soviet Empire
Quote:
Originally Posted by American Patriot
Here you go, you damned Putin lovers. Coming to an America Near You.... with Obama.
Russian protester found guilty and sent for forced psychiatric treatment
Associated Press
MOSCOW – A Russian man who participated in an anti-Kremlin protest has been convicted of "calling for mass riots" and sent for forced psychiatric treatment.
Mikhail Kosenko was one of 28 people arrested after clashes broke out between demonstrators and police at a protest on May, 6, 2012, the eve of President Vladimir Putin's inauguration for a third term.
The prosecution claimed that Kosenko used violence against policemen, but said a psychiatric examination found he "wasn't able to realize the public danger of his actions" due to a "chronic mental disorder."
Human rights activists assailed Tuesday's ruling, describing it as the return of the Soviet practice of using punitive psychiatry against dissidents.
After returning to the presidency last year, Putin has cracked down on street protests and other demonstrations of dissent.
Ah, the return of the Psychiatric Prisons, so well described by Alexander Solszhenitsyn. Criticism of the Regime is obviously a mental illness, just as it was in the openly Communist days.
October 16th, 2013, 17:49
American Patriot
Re: The Rise of the Second Soviet Empire
Russian Special Forces to Be Trained for Arctic Combat
Russian army special forces units have had their first training sessions in Arctic warfare, under plans to boost the country’s military presence in the region, a Western Military District spokesman said Monday.
According to Col. Oleg Kochetkov, Russian special forces reconnaissance units have carried out a number of training missions on the Kola Peninsula under an experimental program simulating combat in the polar regions’ mountainous terrain.
“Combat training missions involving elements of mountaineering in the conditions of the extreme north are a new experience for reconnaissance units that normally train in the mountains in southern Russia,” Kochetkov said.
October 29th, 2013, 13:16
American Patriot
Re: The Rise of the Second Soviet Empire
Russian Tu-160 Strategic Bombers Land in Venezuela
MOSCOW, October 29 (RIA Novosti) – Two Russian Tupolev Tu-160 Blackjack strategic bombers on Monday flew from an airbase in southwestern Russia and landed in Venezuela, the Russian Defense Ministry said.
The nuclear-capable bombers, which took off from the Engels airbase in the Volga region, “flew over the Caribbean, the eastern Pacific and along the southwestern coast of the North American continent, and landed at Maiquetia airfield in Venezuela,” the ministry said in a statement.
According to the Russian ministry, the bombers covered a distance of more than 10,000 kilometers (over 6,200 miles) during a 13-hour non-stop flight. Two NATO F-16 fighter jets were scrambled from Bodo airbase to monitor their flight near the Norwegian airspace.
…The Tu-160 Blackjack is a supersonic, variable-geometry heavy bomber, designed to strike strategic targets with nuclear and conventional weapons deep in continental theatres of operation.
MOSCOW, October 29 (RIA Novosti) – Two Russian Tupolev Tu-160 Blackjack strategic bombers on Monday flew from an airbase in southwestern Russia and landed in Venezuela, the Russian Defense Ministry said.
The nuclear-capable bombers, which took off from the Engels airbase in the Volga region, “flew over the Caribbean, the eastern Pacific and along the southwestern coast of the North American continent, and landed at Maiquetia airfield in Venezuela,” the ministry said in a statement.
Bombing flight plans that goes around the US and lands in Venezuela, and Hugo is no longer there so this isn't political.
They are planning and practicing tactical bombing runs and have the working logistics to pull it off.
FORWARD POSITIONING
October 29th, 2013, 18:19
American Patriot
Re: The Rise of the Second Soviet Empire
Vector.... you voiced what I was thinking. "No longer political, forward positioning" exactly.
MOSCOW, October 30 (RIA Novosti) – Russian President Vladimir Putin oversaw a snap check Wednesday of Russia’s nuclear deterrent, aerospace defenses and strategic aviation.
“The exercise involved launches of ballistic missiles, drills by air defense and missile defense units,” Kremlin press spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, adding that all practice targets had been destroyed.
The Defense Ministry has confirmed the launches of two silo-based and sea-based ballistic missiles apiece as part of the snap check drills.
“Missile Forces conducted launches of a RS-12M Topol ballistic missile from the Plesetsk space center and a RS-20V Voyevoda ballistic missile from the Dombarovsky missile site [in central Russia],” the ministry said in a statement.
“Both missiles hit the designated targets at the Kura testing range on the Kamchatka Peninsula,” the statement said.
The Defense Ministry said in a separate statement that Russian strategic submarines – the Delta IV-class Bryansk from the Northern Fleet and the Delta III-class Svyatoy Georgy Pobedonosets from the Pacific Fleet – launched ballistic missiles while submerged in the Barents and the Okhotsk seas.
The ministry said the drills confirmed high degree of readiness of the Russian nuclear deterrent and the efficiency of all tiers of the combat control structure.
In addition, the Russian Aerospace Defense Forces carried out live-firing exercises at the Kapustin Yar testing range in southern Russia. The exercises involved S-300 Favorit, S-400 Triumf and Pantsir-S air defense systems.
“The ADF units destroyed over 15 drones simulating aircraft and ballistic missiles flying at various altitudes and speeds in a massive strike [against Russian air defenses],” the Defense Ministry said.
The drills were the latest in a series of surprise combat-readiness checks since January and follows a major shake-up at the top of the country’s military establishment, tarnished by persistent evidence of rampant corruption.
The previous snap check, in July, was the largest in the post-Soviet period and involved some 160,000 servicemen, about 1,000 tanks and armored vehicles, 130 aircraft and 70 warships from the far-eastern and central military districts.
Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, who took the post in November 2012, has said snap inspections of combat readiness will be conducted regularly and will involve all branches of the Russian Armed Forces.
Updates with statement on air and missile defense drills at the Kapustin Yar testing range.
October 30th, 2013, 18:05
American Patriot
Re: The Rise of the Second Soviet Empire
What are they doing that for?
They are getting ready for something, something big.
Planning nuclear attacks against a fake enemy.... sure we do the same thing, but certainly not with any regularity right? Nope.
We do training exercises just like they do. However, we have not had a nuclear roll out, check out, that I can remember since about the the 1980s (Busy Prairie for instance) - on which I attended several of those exercises....
Full tilt nuclear systems, security, B52s, you name it....
Under the framework of the Long-Range Aviation and Operational Training programs of the Russian Air Force, two supersonic Tu-160 strategic bombers completed a flight from the Maiquetia Airfield in Venezuela to the Managua airfield in Nicaragua.
An official spokesperson of the Russian Defence Ministry said the two aircraft; "flew over the neutral waters of the Caribbean Sea, after which they entered the air space of the Republic of Nicaragua and made a routine landing".
During the transit mission, the aircraft covered a distance of more than 2,500 kilometers with a flight time of approximately three hours.
All flights by the Russian Air Force are made strictly in line with international rules governing the use of air space, the official said.
The missile-carrying Tu-160 aircraft began their mission from the Engels airbase in the Saratov Region and flew over the Caribbean and the Pacific Ocean, then along the south-western coast of North America and made their first landing at Maiquetia airfield in Nicaragua with the 13-hour nonstop flight from Russia, covering a distance of 10,000 km.
When flying over the territory of Norway, the aircraft were escorted by two Norwegian F-16 fighter jets out of the Norwegian Bodo air-force base.
At Maiquetia airfied, the crews of the aircraft were greeted on behalf of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro by the Republic's Defense Minister Carmen Melendez.
Today, the chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov at the Central Command Post heard via video reports of the generals and admirals who led troops and missile launches during surprise inspections, arranged by the President of our nuclear triad.
It lifts the alarm of the Russian army will not get used - only in this , her readiness and mobility were assessed six times.
However, the signals received unexpectedly on Wednesday duty crews and crews of strategic deterrence forces and troops of air and space defense are on this list alone. First of all, the fighting positions , perhaps for the first time brought nuclear submarines , bombers and missile systems SRF. Then the team went to the real starts. Previously, these tasks land, air and sea " strategists " have decided , as a rule , independently.
Photo: Victor Pogontsev / WP Reservists will call in the army for training
Photo: Olesya Kurpyaeva / WP Military extend storage in the ranks
How to serve military equipment , soldiers now tell pocketbook . Photo by Vitaly Bezrukikh soldier wrote to a service catalog of rights and responsibilities
New check " Tile" in a single scenario of the General Staff . In addition , it , again for the first time , is actively involved means of controlling air space and outer space , as well as air defense and missile defense systems .
Here's how it looked in practice. In SRF alarm raised on legs duty calculations 13th and 14th missile divisions . Start-up was two, both - at the Kura test site in Kamchatka. The intercontinental ballistic missile RS-20V " Governor " kicked out of the mine Dombarovsky position area in East Orenburg . A RS-12M "Topol" launched from the Plesetsk cosmodrome . Warheads traveled more than 6,000 kilometers and formed what is called the bull's-eye .
At the same time learning a nuclear strike on Kure struck from the Barents Sea strategic submarine "Bryansk" . Although her crew shot from underwater position and the large - more than 5.5 thousand kilometers of range, intercontinental ballistic missile was successful. So he was at the Pacific submarine sailors "St. George the Victorious ," which from the Sea of Okhotsk and also their underwater position accurately target was set on the northern range Siskin . In both cases, the marine landfills been recorded telemetry data : the Northern Fleet has provided its crew of a large anti-submarine ship "North " and in TOFe - the sailors command-measuring complex "Marshal Krylov ."
In the long-range aviation solve the problem of sudden check six crews of Tu- 90ms from the airbase Engels (Saratov region). And in the sky mostly acted young pilots and navigators , which, however , did not affect the outcome of the battle . After going in pairs by separate routes in the northern latitudes , the crews have successfully completed three launches of cruise missiles at targets on the range Telemba .
Defense established a prize for the best works of the Armed Forces
And thousands of miles away from home new areas of operations have mastered the two pilots of the Tu - 160. According to the commander of long-range aviation Zhikhareva Anatolia , on Wednesday they flew from the airport Maiquetia (Venezuela ) in the Nicaraguan capital, Managua. And by the way almost three hours circled over neutral waters of the Caribbean Sea. So on the map of our air combat patrol "strategy" , new routes .
As for the participation of troops in a surprise inspection of air and space defense , they were not as extras. For example, the Division of complexes " Iskander -M" of the Southern Military District after the transfer at the Kapustin Yar launch performed tactical missiles . A brigade complexes " Tochka-U " of the Central Military District , quickly re-subordination SOUTH , just hit two targets at a distance of more than a hundred kilometers. At the same time on another test site Astrakhan - Ashuluk were conducted firing anti-aircraft missile and gun systems " Shell - C" air defense system S-300 , S-400 and Buk- 2M . A landfill Priosersk successfully worked on multi- purpose complex ballistic missile defense.
Gerasimov said that these results generalize now for a detailed report of the commander in chief . But it is clear that the strategic nuclear forces of the sudden check stand .
------------------------------------------
Ракеты ушли по тревоге Ядерные силы проверку выдержали
Сегодня начальник Генштаба Валерий Герасимов на Центральном командном пункте заслушал по видеосвязи доклады генералов и адмиралов, которые руководили войсками и ракетными пусками во время внезапной проверки, устроенной президентом страны нашей ядерной триаде.
К подъемам по тревоге Российской армии уже не привыкать - только в этом году ее боеготовность и мобильность оценивали шесть раз. Однако сигналы, неожиданно полученные в среду дежурными расчетами и экипажами стратегических сил сдерживания и Войск воздушно-космической обороны, стоят в этом списке особняком. Прежде всего, на боевые позиции, пожалуй, впервые одновременно вывели атомные подлодки, стратегические бомбардировщики и ракетные комплексы РВСН. Затем прошла команда на реальные пуски. Раньше такие задачи наземные, воздушные и морские "стратеги" решали, как правило, самостоятельно.
Новая проверка "уложилась" в единый сценарий Генштаба. Кроме того, в ней, опять же впервые, активно задействовали средства контроля за воздушным и космическим пространством, а также системы ПВО и комплексы противоракетной обороны.
Вот как все выглядело на практике. В РВСН тревога подняла на ноги дежурные расчеты 13-й и 14-й ракетных дивизий. Пуска было два, оба - по полигону Кура на Камчатке. Межконтинентальная баллистическая ракета РС-20В "Воевода" стартовала из шахты позиционного района Домбаровский в восточном Оренбуржье. А РС-12М "Тополь" запустили с космодрома Плесецк. Боевые блоки преодолели более 6 тысяч километров и легли, что называется, в яблочко.
В это же время учебный ядерный удар по Куре нанесла из Баренцева моря стратегическая подлодка "Брянск". Хотя ее экипаж стрелял из подводного положения и на большую - свыше 5,5 тысячи километров дальность, пуск межконтинентальной баллистической ракеты был успешным. Таким же он оказался у тихоокеанских моряков атомохода "Святой Георгий Победоносец", которые из акватории Охотского моря и тоже их подводного положения точно накрыли цель на северном полигоне Чижа. В обоих случаях на морских полигонах велась запись телеметрической информации: на Северном флоте ее обеспечил экипаж большого противолодочного корабля "Североморск", а на ТОФе - моряки командно-измерительного комплекса "Маршал Крылов".
В Дальней авиации задачи внезапной проверки решали шесть экипажей самолетов Ту-90МС с авиабазы Энгельс (Саратовская область). Причем в небе главным образом действовали молодые летчики и штурманы, что, впрочем, не повлияло на результаты боевой работы. Пройдя парами по самостоятельным маршрутам в северных широтах, экипажи успешно выполнили пуски трех крылатых ракет по целям на полигоне Телемба.
А за тысячи километров от родных мест новые районы полетов освоили пилоты двух стратегических бомбардировщиков Ту-160. По словам командующего Дальней авиации Анатолия Жихарева, в среду они перелетели с аэродрома Майкетия (Венесуэла) в никарагуанскую столицу Манагуа. А по пути почти три часа барражировали над нейтральными водами Карибского моря. Так что на карте боевого патрулирования наших воздушных "стратегов" появились новые маршруты.
Что же касается участия во внезапной проверке Войск воздушно-космической обороны, то они не были в роли статистов. Например, дивизион комплексов "Искандер-М" Южного военного округа после переброски на полигон Капустин Яр выполнил пуск оперативно-тактических ракет. А бригада комплексов "Точка-У" Центрального военного округа, оперативно переподчиненная ЮВО, точно поразила две цели на расстоянии более сотни километров. Одновременно на другом астраханском полигоне - Ашулук были проведены стрельбы из зенитных ракетно-пушечных комплексов "Панцирь-С", систем ПВО С-300, С-400 и Бук-2М. А на полигоне Приозерск успешно отработал по баллистической цели многоканальный комплекс противоракетной обороны.
Герасимов сказал, что все эти результаты сейчас обобщают для подробного доклада Верховному главнокомандующему. Но уже ясно, что стратегические ядерные силы внезапную проверку выдержали.
http://bdnpull.bangorpublishing.netd...01-250x250.jpgRIA NOVOSTI | REUTERS 3TPRussian President Vladimir Putin looks on during a meeting with Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic in Moscow's Kremlin October 30, 2013.
LONDON When NATO forces start a major exercise in Latvia and Poland this weekend, they will be rehearsing how to oust an anonymous invading enemy from a fictional region.
For some, however, exercise Steadfast Jazz will test how the Western alliance could deploy rapid reaction forces to its eastern flank which borders Russia.
A militarily resurgent and swiftly rearming Russia is alarming NATO states that lie close to its territory, chiefly the Baltic States. Other alliance members are simply baffled, wondering why Moscow feels the need to spend vast sums on meeting a threat from the West they say will never materialize.
NATO stresses that the wargames are not aimed at Russia directly, although some officials say part of their point is to reassure eastern member states at a time when Russia is probing NATO airspace with bombers, building warships and conducting ever more sophisticated exercises.
From Nov. 2-7, Steadfast Jazz will involve about 7,000 troops and other personnel including special forces, as well as tanks, aircraft and ships. Officially the NATO Response Force is designed to operate anywhere in the world.
But in the Baltic States, which once lived under the Soviet Union, the wargames are also a rehearsal for an unlikely but plausible scenario closer to home.
Russia as a country in the last five years has been increasing its assertiveness in the Baltic, Latvian defense minister Artis Pabriks told Reuters. Steadfast Jazz is important to us as these are the first exercises where we really train to defend our territory.
NATOs Supreme Allied Commander General Philip Breedlove said the exercise would show the alliances ability to fight sophisticated wars and defend its territory. Russian monitors would be invited.
We have to be prepared for more high end military operations, he said in September, adding that NATOs counter- insurgency experience from Afghanistan was no longer enough.
By high end Breedlove meant combatting any possible threat from a well-armed state, rather than relatively crudely-armed guerrillas as in the alliances most recent operations.
Russias high end capability, experts say, is improving fast and NATO is responding. Apart from Steadfast Jazz, NATO training near Russia recently included the Brilliant Arrow fast jet exercise in August in central Norway.
Such activity could antagonize Russia further. President Vladimir Putin has long complained that the collapse of the Soviet Union allowed the West to expand too far into Russias traditional sphere of influence particularly the former Soviet Baltic states.
Bomber flights, naval maneuvers
Moscow and Washington have worked together in recent months on removing Syrias chemical weapons, but strains are clear.
For Putin, a stronger military and more assertive foreign policy are central to Russian ambitions. Ensuring Russia has a reliable military force is the priority of our state policy, he said earlier this year.
Unfortunately, the present world is far from being peaceful and safe. Long obsolete conflicts are being joined by new, but no less difficult ones. Instability is growing in vast regions of the world.
Last year, Russia announced its defense budget would rise by about 25 percent, pushing spending above that of France and Britain. Moscow says it will spend $700 billion by 2020, hoping to equip at least 70 percent of 1 million active-duty personnel with modern weapons. That will include 2,300 new tanks, 1,200 new helicopters, 15 new surface ships and 28 submarines.
Nikolas Gvosdev, professor of national security studies at the U.S. Naval War College, said Russia wants to regain something of its Soviet-era standing in the world. It is restoring its conventional capabilities to back up claims to great power status, he said.
In operations reminiscent of the Cold War, Russian bombers now periodically approach NATO airspace. In response, British fighters scrambled 29 times in 2010-12 while non-NATO Japan and even neutral Sweden have been on the receiving end of such missions.
Latvia says Russian military aircraft have come close to flying over its territory 37 times in 2013 alone, compared with perhaps once or twice a year five years ago. Naval activity has risen, including a task force sent to the Arctic in August.
Weve seen an increase in the frequency of Russian military activities and the substantial modernisation of their capability, General Charles H Jacoby, commander of the U.S. Northern Command, said earlier this year. While we must strive for increased cooperation we must continue to be prepared to demonstrate the intent and the capability to defend our interests.
Exercises on land have particularly worried neighbours. Among the largest was Septembers Zapad-2013 maneuvers in Belarus. The Kremlin described these as largely anti-terrorist in nature but foreign analysts said they appeared to revolve heavily around conventional war fighting.
Cooperation hopes
Not everyone believes Moscow can achieve its ambitions. A slump in prices for oil and gas, a major source of revenue, could devastate its budget, and the economy is already slowing.
Within the military, bullying, morale problems and corruption remain rife. Islamist militancy in the Caucasus swallows up resources while some Russian strategists are more worried about China than the West.
Much of Russias resources, from fresh water to minerals, are in sparsely populated parts of Siberia within relatively easy reach of the Chinese border, while Beijings military budget is growing even faster than Moscows.
(There is) a growing fear that Russias vast natural resources endowment is vulnerable if the country lacks the means to protect it, said Gvosdev.
Budget problems mean most NATO states are cutting defense spending. The handful of Russias neighbours that can afford to raise expenditure, however, are doing so. As early as 2007, Norway announced it would expand its military and move much of it to new bases nearer the increasingly contested Arctic.
Poland is also in the midst of its biggest ever increase in military spending, earmarking $43 billion over the next decade to buy Western systems. Sweden is buying patrol boats.
Western officials say their priority remains to work with Russia. NATO jets have also trained with Russian counterparts on counter-terrorism exercises, while NATO warships have visited Russian ports. This months NATO-Russia summit in Brussels saw agreement on further co-operation.
In mainstream NATO thinking, Russian behaviour such as the Zapad-2013 exercise is more puzzling than alarming, although eastern members cling to Article 5 of North Atlantic treaty which obliges members to help any ally that comes under attack.
The very aggressive posture during Zapad caused much concern among the Baltic states for whom Article 5 really matters, said one senior Western official on condition of anonymity. However, the considered view is that the government of Russia does not pose a threat.
Another NATO diplomat told Reuters he believed there was little doubt Moscow was preparing its military for potential conflicts with well-armed nations.
That has a lot of us scratching our heads and thinking: why? the diplomat said, adding that NATO states had made clear they had no ambitions to expand eastward. Why in the world would you actually be arming yourself for a conflict with us? Isnt that all a monumental waste of resources?
During the execution of the task , two strategic bombers Tu- 95MS securing the radio link to " remotely " - between commands that participated in the execution of tasks
Venezuela's Defense Minister Carmen Melendez landed at the capital's airport where they landed Majketija two Russian strategic raketonosca , after an uninterrupted 13 -hour flight.
" We are happy to welcome you on behalf of the President of the Republic Nicolas Maduro in our hospitable country " - said Melendez , reports ITAR - TASS .
With these words she greeted the two Russian strategic raketonosca Tu- 160 that flew 10 thousand kilometers from Russia letevši 13 hours continuously . "The future of Venezuela is closely associated with the Russian Federation , which is our strategic partner - said the Minister . - We are proud that you're with us . "
He later visited Melendez Tu- 160th She bravely climbed the steep stairs from five feet to raketonosac "Alexander Novikov ," and accompanied by the commander of the crew examine the interior of aircraft heavy 275 tons.
Russian pilots have donated Melendesovoj models of their aircraft , and they in turn gave them a basket of exotic fruits and Venezuelan rum , with the words: "That you have a good rest after this hard work ."
Raketonosca two strategic Tu- 160 took off from the air base, " Engels " in Saratovskoj area, and across the Pacific flew to Venezuela in accordance with the plan of combat preparations of Russian strategic aviation.
Bombers were flying over the Caribbean Sea and the eastern part of the Pacific Ocean along the southwest coast of the North American continent and landed in the Republic of Venezuela.
A two strategic bombers Tu- 95MS securing the radio link to " remotely " between commands that participated in the execution of tasks.
Information Service of the Russian Ministry of Defense announced that all flights of the Air Force of the Russian Federation carried out and are carried out in strict observance of international rules of airspace use .
Russian Minister of Defense - Army General Sergei Shoigu - initiated the adoption of the plan of patriotic upbringing of young people.
It is every member of the Social Council at the Ministry of Defense RF recommended to propose a plan - a proposal for patriotic education of youth.
" This concerns not only konkertnih activities , but also propaganda and ideological work. Only what is called the support and cultivation of the spirit of patriotism , loyalty to our country and the Armed Forces " - said the Russian defense minister .
Shoigu announced that the next session of the Council, but talk about " ideas and suggestions " .
The Social Council includes renowned scientists and cultural workers , veterans of the Armed Forces , representatives of the clergy , journalists . The Council successfully operating within the Ministry of Defence of Russia since 2006. year.