The Iskander-M Tactical Missile Systems In Kaliningrad — An Update

(Source: Rt.com)

 

Russia has deployed Iskander-M tactical missile systems in the Kaliningrad region. The move sparked tension in the Baltic States. On October 8, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said: “By the way, nobody made a big secret out of the transportation of the system onboard the freighter Ambal. I’ll say more – one Iskander system was deliberately exposed prior to the shipment to an American intelligence satellite, which was on its trajectory above [the region] – that was made in order to clarify [i.e.check out] certain parameters of this satellite.” He also added that the Russian side did not have long to wait since the US partners in their “exposure impulse” have confirmed everything that the Russians needed.

Russia Carries Out Missile Drills Near NATO Border

Russian servicemen equip an Iskander tactical missile system at the Army-2015 international military-technical forum in Kubinka, outside Moscow, Russia, June 17, 2015. The same system was used for military drills conducted not far from Russia’s border with Poland. (Sergei Karpukhin/Reuters)

 

The drill, involving short-range ballistics system Iskander-M took involved around 100 troops and 20 missile units, at a military range in the city of Luga, only about 90 miles from Russia’s border with Estonia.

The practice involved testing the decision-making skills of personnel, as well as their ability to fire the Iskander, which has a range of around 310 miles. The Russian military claimed no live fire took place, only calculations.

Russia’s top propagandist says US behaviour could have ‘nuclear’ implications

Russian television journalist Dmitry Kiselyov posing for a photo after receiving a medal of Friendship during an awarding ceremony in the Kremlin in Moscow AFP

 

Dmitry Kiselyov said there has been a ‘radical change’ in relations between Russia and the US

A Russian news presenter, dubbed the “Kremlin’s chief propagandist”, has warned the United States any “impudent behaviour” towards Moscow could have “nuclear” implications.

Dmitry Kiselyov, who was appointed by Vladimir Putin to head the country’s government-owned news agency, made the warning on Monday night’s edition of his flagship current affairs programme Vesti Nedeli (News of the Week).

Putin teams up with Turkey’s ERDOGAN as threat of WAR between Russia & the West increases

RUSSIA has teamed up with Turkey to announce a coordinated military strategy for Syria and the construction of a new gas pipeline running between the two countries.

The collaboration between Vladimir Putin and Recep Tayyip Erdogan comes amid growing tensions between Russia and the West.

The ruthless leaders met in Istanbul on Monday to discuss the Turkish Stream gas pipeline and a joint military strategy in Syria, resulting in an agreement to share intelligence and the joint provision of humanitarian aid.

Russian nuclear-capable Iskander missiles deployed in Syria

 

Russia has deployed its most advanced tactical missile system, the Iskander-M, in Syria in the last few days, debkafile reports exclusively from its military and intelligence sources. The Russian Iskander is capable of carrying a nuclear warhead and has never been made available to any foreign army for operational use.

No nuclear-capable surface missiles were deployed in any Arab country bordering on Israel since 2007 when Chinese DF-21 missiles were installed in Saudi Arabia.

The Russian missiles (NATO codenamed SS-26) have a range of 500 kilometers (see map).

Russian Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces: What They Mean for the United States

Abstract

The 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty between the U.S. and the Soviet Union was one of the most significant arms-reduction accomplishments of the Cold War. The INF Treaty led to the elimination of ground-launched ballistic and cruise missiles with ranges from 300 miles to 3,400 miles, their launchers, and associated support structures and support equipment. In 2014, the U.S. State Department officially accused Russia of violating the treaty. The allegation sparked renewed interest in the utility of the agreement for the United States, and in the implications of Russia’s violations for U.S. allies in Europe. Russia’s aggressive and illegal behavior and the inability of the United States to bring Russia back into compliance with the INF Treaty indicate that the treaty has outlived its utility and is no longer in the U.S. interest.

The 1987 Treaty between the United States of America and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics on the Elimination of their Intermediate-Range and Shorter-Range Missiles—known as the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty—was one of the most significant arms-reduction accomplishments of the Cold War era. The INF Treaty led to the elimination of ground-launched ballistic and cruise missiles with ranges from 500 kilometers to 5,500 kilometers (about 300 miles to 3,400 miles), their launchers, and associated support structures and support equipment.[1] In July 2014, the U.S. State Department officially accused Russia of violating the treaty.[2] The allegation sparked renewed interest in the utility of the agreement for the United States, and in the implications of Russia’s violations for U.S. allies in Europe. Russia’s aggressive and illegal behavior and the inability of the United States to bring Russia back into compliance with the INF Treaty indicate that the treaty has outlived its utility and is no longer in the U.S. interest.

Russia Says It Can Deploy Nuclear Arms to Crimea

Moscow to bolster military in occupied Ukrainian peninsula

Russia’s envoy to the NATO alliance said on Friday that Moscow will bolster military forces in occupied Ukraine, and is not banned from deploying nuclear arms in Crimea.

“Everything that we do in Crimea fully complies with all obligations of the Russian Federation under international treaties. We do not violate anything, there are no prohibitions on us deploying certain weapons systems,” said Alexander Grushko, the envoy, when asked if nuclear arms would be placed in Crimea.

Grushko also declined to say whether nuclear arms currently are deployed inside the Ukrainian territory forcibly annexed by Russia in March 2014. He made the remarks in a video press conference from Moscow with reporters in Brussels, where NATO headquarters is located.

Russia Conducts Simulated Launches of Iskander-M Missiles

An Iskander-M missile unit of Russia’s Eastern Military District performed a computer-simulated launch of one of Russia’s most advanced rockets during a snap drill, the RMD’s press spokesman Alexander Gordeyev said Friday.

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The system is characterized by high mobility and maneuverability, as it takes just 20 minutes to be readied for launch.

Russian military completes rapid-deployment drills in Kaliningrad

Amid this exercise and many more that already transpired throughout 2014, it sounds like someone’s gearing up for a blitzkrieg on Ukraine, plus preparing for defensive measures against any counter-attack. From a military standpoint, Ukraine is crucially strategic. It allows for Russia to be on Europe’s doorstep or NATO to be on Moscow’s doorstep. 2015 should be quite an interesting year if the end of 2014 won’t.

Lest we forget what one of Putin’s henchmen stated: They must strike first and carpet bomb all the way into the Baltic states and even Poland — half an hour before NATO even wakes up.

Should that ever transpire, NATO will be effectively dead as an organization and kicked out of Europe within days.

 

The drills took place December 5-10, the head of the main Operation Directorate of General Staff, Lieutenant General Andrey Kartapolov announced on Tuesday. Military units and formations deployed in the Western Military District were brought to their highest level of combat readiness at 7 p.m. Moscow time on December 5.

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Tactical Iskander-M ballistic missile systems of the Western Military District’s missile brigade were rapidly transferred from Russia’s mainland to conduct off-the-march combat training tasks. Within two days, two brigades were deployed in Kaliningrad by the military transport aircraft and vessels of the Baltic Fleet.

Russia Deploying Tactical Nuclear Arms in Crimea

Who cares. The MLB playoffs are on, right? Shop ’til you drop while your adversaries sharpen their swords and ready their arrows.

 

Russia is moving tactical nuclear weapons systems into recently-annexed Crimea while the Obama administration is backing informal talks aimed at cutting U.S. tactical nuclear deployments in Europe.

Three senior House Republican leaders wrote to President Obama two weeks ago warning that Moscow will deploy nuclear missiles and bombers armed with long-range air launched cruise missiles into occupied Ukrainian territory.

“Locating nuclear weapons on the sovereign territory of another state without its permission is a devious and cynical action,” states the letter signed by House Armed Services Committee Chairman Howard P. “Buck” McKeon (R., Calif.) and two subcommittee chairmen.

“It further positions Russian nuclear weapons closer to the heart of NATO, and it allows Russia to gain a military benefit from its seizure of Crimea, allowing Russia to profit from its action.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin in recent months “has escalated his use of nuclear threats to a level not seen since the Cold War,” they wrote.

Russian Missile Troops Test-Fire Iskander Systems During Military Drills

MOSCOW, June 2 (RIA Novosti) – Russian armed forces are conducting a routine check of the military units in the country’s Western Military District, equipped with long-range high-precision Iskander missiles, the Ministry of Defense stated Monday.

From May 27 to June 5, missile troops of the Western Military District will take part in the war games together with the Long-Range Aviation Command. The troops are equipped with tactical ballistic missile system Iskander-M and long-range aircraft.

This Is What You Get When You Appease Russia

America abandoned central Europe to try and make friends with Russia—and got nothing in return.

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The Iskander-M is no Soviet relic. It is a thoroughly modern missile, designed to evade and confuse anti-missile systems. Probably battle-tested during Russia’s invasion of Georgia, Russia considers it “the most effective and deadly nonstrategic (and even perhaps strategic) ballistic missile in existence”—according to Stratfor emails revealed by Wikileaks last year. “Its high velocity allows the missile to penetrate antimissile defenses,” states the email. “It can fly low and make evasive maneuvers in order to prevent interception by surface air missiles.” The missiles are capable of carrying a nuclear warhead, but Russia has not admitted to developing one.

How did these missiles end up on Europe’s boarders?

Of strategic missiles and easy money: Russia’s positioning in the South Caucasus

In recent weeks, important information regarding the military balance of power in the South Caucasus has come to light. On June 3rd it was revealed that Russia has stationed an undisclosed number of Iskander-M ballistic missiles in Armenia. While on June 18th media outlets reported that Russia has begun the delivery of nearly $1 billion worth of weaponry, which include tanks, multiple rocket launchers and artillery cannons, to Azerbaijan.

Russia Stations Advanced Missiles in Armenia

YEREVAN (RFE/RL)—Russia has deployed in Armenia state-of-the-art ballistic missiles capable of striking targets more than 400 kilometers away, according to a source in the Armenian Defense Ministry.

Speaking on the condition anonymity, the source told RFE/RL’s Armenian service (Azatutyun.am) over the weekend that several Iskander-M systems are currently stationed at undisclosed locations in the country. The source declined to clarify whether they were delivered to the Armenian armed forces or the Russian military base headquartered in Gyumri.

BREAKING: Russia Deploys EMP / Bunker-Buster Missiles in its Western Military Divisions

While the U.S. is suicidially disarming itself and even withdrawing missile defense posts from Europe, the Russians (as well as the Chinese) are very hard at work in modernizing their tactical weapons stockpile — as well as now deploying.

RUSSIA-MISSILES-EQUIPMENT MOSCOW. Feb 9 (Interfax-AVN) – Russia’s 20th Army incorporated in the Western Military District will be supplied with Iskander-M tactical missile systems and other modern weapons.

The Iskander Tactical Missile System is considered to be among the most advanced surface / surface missiles available today.