H/t reader squodgy:
“Tanks don’t need visas…..Brilliant”
Officials say as many as 250 aircraft and 12,000 service personnel are participating in the war games
– Russia begins huge surprise air force drill on same day as Nato starts Arctic training (Independent, May 26, 2015):
Russia’s military defence has taken to the skies for a massive – and unexpected – air force exercise.
In a sign of ongoing tensions over Ukraine, 250 aircraft and 12,000 service personnel are involved in the drill, according to its defence ministry.
The ministry described the four-day practice – ordered by President Vladimir Putin – as a “massive surprise inspection” to check combat readiness.
It comes as one of Putin’s closest aides, Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin, issued a chilling warning to the West.
He said: “It is our territory, it is our shelf, and we’ll provide its security. And we will make money there.
“I have always joked about it, that they will not give us visas.
“They will put us on a sanctions list – but tanks do not need visas.”
It is the third major military exercise staged by the Kremlin in the past three months.
The tests also began on the same day as Nato and some of its partners started an Arctic training exercise.
Russia’s actions in Ukraine and incursions into Western airspace have led to rising tensions with the West.
According to reports on the Russian agencies Interfax and Tass, the inspection of the aviation group and air defence forces in the central military district involves almost 700 weapons and pieces of military hardware.
The outspoken politician is himself on EU and US blacklists as part of sanctions following Russia’s annexation of Crimea last year, limiting his travel options.
Russia has been heavily criticised in recent months over increased air activity around the Nordic countries, including several airspace violations by military aircraft.
Nato’s two-week training exercise in the region – which began on the same day as Russia’s tests – will be based in the north of Norway, Sweden and Finland. It will involve 115 fighter planes and 3,600 troops from nine countries.
The Arctic Challenge Exercise will also involve troops and planes from the US, Britain, Germany, France and the Netherlands – all Nato members – as well as neutral Switzerland.
The exercise is the second of its kind, following similar tests in 2013.
The defence ministers of Norway, Sweden, Finland and Denmark, along with Iceland’s foreign minister, signed a joint declaration in April in which they called Russia’s military aggression “the biggest challenge to European security”.
People who wonder at this need only examine a globe of the world to see Russia is acting exactly as the US would if there were foreign forces on its borders. Russia is one big country with tons of natural resources and a population firmly behind their leader.
Russia was a world power, then a collection of small insignificant countries……the people soon tired of that, they want to be a world power again. Putin is clearly aware of this, and he is acting to rebuild Russia, not enrich greedy gut corporations like our leaders.
Everything Putin does is to enrich and build Russia, and the people know and support it.
Pity our leaders work against our national best interests every day and run scum like clinton and that other sorry assortment of retreads for president…….Ugh.
Had to share this…..
If it’s true then …..well there’s no hope.
If not then why post it as it doesn’t make sense.
http://www.eutimes.net/2015/05/british-leader-begs-putin-to-spare-uk-in-coming-nuclear-war/
To squodgy,
The original article comes from whatdoesitmean.com (Sorcha Faal) …
… and so, luckily for us, it is not true.