Russian Defense Ministry to conduct first big military exercise in 25 years

pravda ^ | 2/4/04

[knak]

Strategic military exercise is in this year plan of military training and is scheduled for mid-February under supervision of Commander-in-Chief, President Vladimir Putin.

The exercise will resemble the scenario of that in 1982 called "7-hour nuclear war" by Western countries.

Currently General Staff Commander, Army General Mikhail Kvashnin is checking the readiness of Privolzhsko - Uralski Military District for the exercise. One of the exercise elements will be training practical skills of commanding troops in "special period" - the military uses this name for the period preceding the war. The exercise will resemble the scenario of that in 1982 called "7-hour nuclear war" by Western countries. After that military exercise President Reigan initiated Strategic Defense Initiative - Star Wars Program. In 1982 the USSR conducted the biggest exercise for its nuclear missile military force. On June 18 in 7-hour-period two inter-continental UR-100 ballistic missiles from shafts and RSM-50 ballistic missile from the 667BD nuclear-powered submarine were launched. The UR-100 missile warheads were intercepted by two A-350R counter-missiles, and RSM-50 hit the target in Kura ground in Kamchatka. In addition, intermediate-range 15ZH45 missile was launched from Kapustin Yar ground in the South of Russia. Also, in 2-hour period three space devices were lunched: IS-P (Kosmos-1379) intercepting satellite, Zenit-6 (Kosmos-1380) spy satellite from Baikonur Space Center in Kazakhstan, and Parus navigating satellite from Plesetsk Space Center in the North of Russia. Kosmos-1379 satellite intercepted Lira special target imitating US navigating Transit satellite.

This time Moscow notified Washington in advance about the scheduled military exercise to avoid negative reaction of the USA. According to Russian official version, the exercise is conducted within the framework of fighting the terrorist threat for the country. This year strategic exercise will be on smaller scale than that of 1982, but the biggest one since that time. More military units will be involved in it, including long-range strategic aviation and the command of frontier and interior troops.

First all 14 TU-160 strategic bombers of Heavy Bombers Division 22 in Engels, Volga area, will take off after alert signal. Part of the air squadron will fly to the North Atlantic area and will practice shooting cruise missiles there, and another part will fly to Arctic and Siberia. On the way back the bombers will be refueled by Il-78M refueling planes of Air Squadron 203 in Ryazan area.

Other Tu-22MZ long-range strategic bombers of Air Squadrons 52 and 840 will hit the grounds in Vladimirovka (Astrakhan region) with missiles and bombs. Simultaneously Topol inter-continental ballistic missile will be launched at Kura ground in Kamchatka. Then 667BDRM strategic missile submarine will launch RSM-54 ballistic missile from the Barents Sea area. Also, Space Force will launch military satellites from Plisetsk and Baiconur space stations. In this way the General Staff plans to imitate the replacement of the satellites lost during the hypothetic military action. Launching Topol and RSM-50 missiles and Molnia-M and Zenit-2 space rockets is going to be detected by Moscow A-135 ant-missile defense system which will be put on high military alert during the exercise. After the exercise completion, Commander-in -Chief Vladimir Putin will analyze and sum up the performance of the Defense Ministry and General Staff, the commanders of Moscow, Leningrad and Privolzhsko - Uralski Military Districts, Northern Fleet, strategic missile and space military forces.

[OXENinFLA]

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2004/02/20040202-9.html#8

Q Thank you. Scott, Russia is planning to conduct its largest mock attack by its nuclear forces in two decades. This maneuver includes a simulated attack on the United States. Is the Cold War heating up again? And is the President concerned about this new Russian show of nuclear strength?

MR. McCLELLAN: No, on the Cold War, but I haven't seen that specific report. But I would point out that we are working with Russia in a number of different ways in the war on terrorism. That's a threat that we both face in this day and age and there are ways that we can continue to work together. Secretary Powell talked a lot about this on his recent trip to Russia.

[af_vet_rr]

Times have changed, they are actuallying notifying us beforehand. 1982 was unnerving, to say the least.

[klpt]