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Russian military exercises gaze toward Poland
https://www.msn.com Jamestown Foundation ^ | 8.10.2021 | Janusz Bugajsk

Posted on 08/10/2021 7:55:24 AM PDT by RomanSoldier19

Russia is preparing its quadrennial Zapad 2021 military exercises along NATO’s eastern borders. The exercise is focused on potential armed conflicts with Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia.

This extensive military drill in September will also involve troops from Belarus, one of Russia’s few remaining partners. Zapad 2021 is intended to demonstrate Russia’s military readiness and to simulate a clash with a neighboring state in which Moscow prevails. But with this year's exercises being conducted in the midst of the Russo-Ukrainian war and the social turmoil in Belarus, tensions are increased. Especially notable is the impact on the historic rivalry between Poland and Russia over the states that lie between them.

Kremlin propaganda depicts Poland, the largest and militarily strongest state on NATO’s eastern flank, as promoting pro-Western coups in Ukraine and Belarus that are intended to tear these countries away from "Mother Russia." In reality, the region is not witnessing a contest between two imperial projects but a struggle between two strategic concepts. That is to say the concept of a centralized Russian dominion that subordinates neighbors and that of a voluntary, multinational confederation embodied in the trans-Atlantic alliance and the European Union.

(Excerpt) Read more at msn.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: baltics; poland; russia
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1 posted on 08/10/2021 7:55:24 AM PDT by RomanSoldier19
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To: RomanSoldier19

Poland has developed into a great ally, I’m sure they are prepared for Putin’s games.


2 posted on 08/10/2021 7:57:08 AM PDT by 1Old Pro (Let's make crime illegal again!)
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To: RomanSoldier19

I think Putin’s goal is to make Kaliningrad contiguous. If Belarus is in his pocket, he just needs a slice of Poland or Lithuania. Lithuania seems like the smarter choice, since we have troops in Poland, but maybe he likes to keep them guessing.


3 posted on 08/10/2021 7:59:50 AM PDT by aynrandfreak (Being a Democrat means never having to say you're sorry)
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To: aynrandfreak

Any outright invasion of Lithuania will invoke NATO Article 5. The Poles would respond regardless, and with a newly organized territorial militia, any Russians in Poland would get a very “warm” welcome wherever they were.


4 posted on 08/10/2021 8:05:56 AM PDT by pierrem15 ("Massacrez-les, car le seigneur connait les siens" )
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To: 1Old Pro

God bless Poland and damn Putin/Putinistas to an early grave.


5 posted on 08/10/2021 8:06:21 AM PDT by rrrod (6)
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To: pierrem15

Poland would also respond if Russia threatened the rest of Ukraine beyond the Donbass and Crimea. They would move into Western Ukraine.


6 posted on 08/10/2021 8:08:28 AM PDT by dfwgator (Endut! Hoch Hech!)
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To: pierrem15

I pray Putin isn’t that stupid, and just doing some sabre-rattling for domestic consumption.


7 posted on 08/10/2021 8:09:25 AM PDT by dfwgator (Endut! Hoch Hech!)
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To: RomanSoldier19

Gaslight at is finest. NATO has pushed right to their border. When they react with exercises, we are treated to propaganda pretending it’s 1982 and they want to pour across the Fulda Gap.

This sounds like it came from Lockheed and Ratheon.


8 posted on 08/10/2021 8:10:01 AM PDT by DesertRhino (A coup government may not claim the protection of the same constitution it overthrew. )
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To: All

I know the Russian people are suffering under Putin, being held back, by the Krelinists dreams of gaining back the great powerful Russia.

It’s over and it’s gone. Putin is degrading it, while the rest of Europe, including Eastern Europe turn into dynamic economies.

Russia, but a nuisance compared to China, is indeed a nuisance, invading Georgia, illegally annexing Crimea, and sending in their Green Soldier SpecOps into Eastern Ukraine.

President for Life Putin, must be stood up to, or he will continue, and by continuing he delays a vibrant Russian people and state.


9 posted on 08/10/2021 8:17:41 AM PDT by rbmillerjr
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To: pierrem15

NATO will not be able to do anything.

How many EU divisions will march against Russia? We couldn’t get to Lithuania, let alone defend it.


10 posted on 08/10/2021 8:28:05 AM PDT by redgolum (If this is civilization, I will be the barbarian. )
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To: redgolum

I believe you have it backwards. Russia will not be able to do anything in Poland. Poland despises Russia and it’s former USSR occupation, and have a fairly strident military.

The US is also running cross training with Poland in Lithuania, and has rotated in armored battalions from the US consistently.


11 posted on 08/10/2021 8:49:46 AM PDT by rbmillerjr
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To: RomanSoldier19

I suspect that Poland (and Hungary and maybe some others) will be happy to be allies with Russia, once the EU expels them.


12 posted on 08/10/2021 8:52:15 AM PDT by BobL (I shop at Walmart and eat at McDonald's, I just don't tell anyone, like most here.)
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To: BobL

You don’t know Poland.

It’s like General Anders said, “With the Germans, we lose our lives, with the Russians, we lose our souls.”


13 posted on 08/10/2021 8:53:55 AM PDT by dfwgator (Endut! Hoch Hech!)
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To: DesertRhino

“Gaslight at is finest. NATO has pushed right to their border. When they react with exercises, we are treated to propaganda pretending it’s 1982 and they want to pour across the Fulda Gap.”

I think a lot of people don’t mind being played by the Russia-hating media, as is the case here.


14 posted on 08/10/2021 8:54:47 AM PDT by BobL (I shop at Walmart and eat at McDonald's, I just don't tell anyone, like most here.)
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To: pierrem15

They could invoke but take no real action, depending on the state of the rest of the world at the time he made his move. I still think we sent a subtle message to only put troops in Poland, that we wouldn’t necessarily fight as hard for Lithuania.


15 posted on 08/10/2021 8:59:22 AM PDT by aynrandfreak (Being a Democrat means never having to say you're sorry)
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To: redgolum
How many well-trained and equipped units do you think Russia has?

Poland has four mechanized or armored divisions. Plus another 60k active duty army and 100k reserves plus 250k territorial militia.

They won't be twiddling their thumbs if Lithuania is invaded.

16 posted on 08/10/2021 9:04:25 AM PDT by pierrem15 ("Massacrez-les, car le seigneur connait les siens" )
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To: aynrandfreak
I don't think the current admin will fight even if the US is attacked: all of their energy is devoted to turning the US into a one-party corporate fascist state with a veneer of wokeness to cover the looting.

The Poles, however, may react in way to force us into it anyway, especially since its in their interest to do so.

17 posted on 08/10/2021 9:08:05 AM PDT by pierrem15 ("Massacrez-les, car le seigneur connait les siens" )
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To: aynrandfreak

The US has been rotating an armored battalion into Lithuania, non stop, for multiple years.

They also engage with Polish troops and train with them inside Lithuania.

There have also been Brigade sized training with 13 NATO countries, fairly recently...in Exercise Iron Wolf.


18 posted on 08/10/2021 9:11:45 AM PDT by rbmillerjr
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To: RomanSoldier19

The Russians will conquer Belarus and Ukraine first. Taking on NATO isn’t something I’d expect them to try until they solidify their forward positions.

Otherwise NATO (the US really) could be expected to suddenly move into Belarus or Ukraine to open up a new front against the Russians.


19 posted on 08/10/2021 9:16:57 AM PDT by MercyFlush ( According to the New York Times "Freedom" is an anti-government slogan. )
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To: DesertRhino

I worked for Newt Gingrich when the offer was on the table for Russia to join NATO. When they declined they were still given observer status which wasn’t revoked until 2014.

Also, NATO did not “push” to Russia’s borders.

Former Soviet slave states applied for and received NATO membership and protection in expectation of the Russians trying to reconquer their former slave states.

And here we are faced with the Russians trying to reconquer their former slave states.


20 posted on 08/10/2021 9:21:01 AM PDT by MercyFlush ( According to the New York Times "Freedom" is an anti-government slogan. )
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