Exclusive: Russia building major military base near Ukrainian border

Reuters ^ | Wed Sep 9, 2015 | 4:45 PM EDT | Anton Zverev

[keat]

SOLOTI, Russia (Reuters) - Russia has started to build a huge military base housing ammunition depots and barracks for several thousand soldiers near the Ukrainian border, a project that suggests the Kremlin is digging in for a prolonged stand-off with Kiev.

The base, when completed, will even have its own swimming pool, skating rink and barber shop, according to public documents. This week workmen were erecting a fence in a cornfield outside the village of Soloti to mark out the perimeter, and told a Reuters reporter to leave, accusing him of being an Ukrainian spy.

In almost the same spot there was a flurry of military activity in April last year that coincided with intense fighting across the Ukrainian frontier that lies about 25 km (15 miles) away. A squadron of Mi-24 attack helicopters was seen there at the time, as well as army tents and trucks.

NATO has accused Russia of using makeshift bases for sending soldiers and hardware into Ukraine to support pro-Russian separatists fighting Kiev.

Russia denies its military is in Ukraine. The defense ministry did not reply to written questions from Reuters about the purpose of the base it is building and whether there was any connection to the Ukraine conflict.

According to tender documents published on the Russian government website zakupki.gov.ru, the ministry is building the military base on a 300-hectare site near Valuyki, a small town not far from Soloti.

The ministry intends to build nine barracks for 3,500 soldiers, warehouses for rockets, artillery weapons, and other munitions with a total area of over 6,000 square meters.

[keat]

Responding to the ultimate weakness of RINO's in congress?

[lodi90]

There is no border. Russia destroyed over 100 miles of it last year with cross border attacks.

[Logical me]

Russia will soon be a bigger threat to the world than the radical Muslims.

[grania]

How about Russia is a bigger threat to radical Muslims than the US and EU even pretend to be? That Russia might be the only power standing up to save Christianity?

If the uncontrolled hordes continue to swarm all over Europe, it's a no-brainer that the Kiev gov won't be able to stop them. OF COURSE Russia has to protect its borders and its allies.

[ETL]

Beware the FR Putin butt-kissing Putinistas on a thread like this.

[ETL]

The Kremlin’s Troll Army: Moscow is financing legions of pro-Russia Internet commenters:

A June article by Max Seddon of BuzzFeed reported the Kremlin was spending millions of dollars to pay English-speaking Russians to promote President Vladimir Putin and his policies in U.S. media like Fox News broadcasting and The Huffington Post and Politico news sites. Trolls are reportedly expected to manage multiple fake accounts and post on news articles 50 times a day, often with sentiments as simplistic as “Putin makes Obama look stupid and weak!”

http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2014/08/the-kremlins-troll-army/375932/
____________________________

Documents Show How Russia’s Troll Army Hit America:

http://www.buzzfeed.com/maxseddon/documents-show-how-russias-troll-army-hit-america
____________________________

“Trolls are reportedly expected to manage multiple fake accounts and post on news articles 50 times a day, often with sentiments as simplistic as “Putin makes Obama look stupid and weak!”...”

They do this only in an attempt to win the trust of anti-Obama folks -- a clever/sneaky way to add credibility to their pro-Russia, pro-Putin BS.
Yet it seems to work on some of us! In reality, Obama is the best thing that has happened to Russia in a long time.
____________________________

[goldstategop]

What they’re saying is true. Obama IS stupid and weak and he does make Putin look strong.

Its hard to rebut something that has a great deal of truth to it.

And it doesn’t mean you’re a Putin shill.

[keat]

“Putin makes Obama look stupid and weak!”

I couldn't agree with that statement more if I tried and I am not an English speaking Russian!

[ETL]

What they’re saying is true. Obama IS stupid and weak

Of course it's true! That's the point. They try to win your trust by saying stuff like that.

and he does make Putin look strong.

Putin is a POS. A snake who invades his neighbors. "Silences" his political opponents, sometimes with poison. Russia, under him and of course before, has supported and armed nearly every one of America's enemies, including Saddam Hussein prior and likely during the Gulf wars.

[ETL]

[Forgotten Amendments]

Let’s see. The US & EU engineer a coup and install a puppet regime in Ukraine. We’re sending military “advisors” to Ukraine. Russia builds up forces on its border and THEY are being aggressive?

Russia bailed us out of Obama’s war in Syria (which 85% of Americans opposed). They tried to warn us about the Boston bombers. They’re potentially battling ISIS. And RUSSIA is the threat?

I don’t know who these lunatics baiting Putin are. But, they do not have America’s interests at heart.

[CrimsonTidegirl]

Exactly right. As a female, I would choose Russia over Muslims any day. I have no love for Russia or Putin, but at least they aren’t trying to enslave Christians & Women.

[dfwgator]

Or as Sting put it, “The Russians love their children too.”

[CrimsonTidegirl]

Exactly. Russians aren’t seeking death like the Muslims are; they want to live just as much as we do.

BTW, I’ve always loved that song:)

[lodi90]

Let’s see. The US & EU engineer a coup and install a puppet regime in Ukraine. We’re sending military “advisors” to Ukraine. Russia builds up forces on its border and THEY are being aggressive?

---

I see you have been reading Putinist fairy tales.

Russia invading their neighbors and murdering 8,000 of them is what makes them “aggressive”.

[lodi90]

Exactly. Russians aren’t seeking death like the Muslims are; they want to live just as much as we do.

---

Not really. Putinist Russia has threatened nuclear war on more than one occasion recently. His kleptocratic one party petro state is nothing like us.

[Forgotten Amendments]

Russia didn’t “INVADE” anyone.

Why are most of the refugees fleeing to Russia?

Why weren’t there ANY refugees when the Crimeans voted to return to Russia?

What’s your game?????

[lodi90]

The Russian invasion of Ukraine is well documented. US Army Europe reported and released intel showing the regular Russian army fighting in Ukraine in Febuary, there are videos of cross border rocket artillery attacks by Russia, over 100 miles of border has been destroyed by Russia, etc., etc.

I suggest you get your news somewhere besides Pravda, FRiend.