Russia to Deploy 10 Strategic Bombers to Crimea for Snap Drills

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The Russian military will deploy ten Tu-22M3 Backfire C supersonic strategic bombers to Crimea as part of the current large-scale snap inspection of combat readiness, a source in the Defense Ministry told RIA Novosti on Wednesday.

50 Russian Jets Fire Live Missiles In Show Of Strength Near Borders With NATO Nations

At least 50 Russian jets, including many of Russia’s advanced Su-34 “Fullback” fighter jets, began aerial combat exercises just miles from Russia’s western borders with NATO nations Estonia, Latvia and Finland — military drills that see the deadly jets firing live ammunition and guided missiles.

The exercises taking place in the skies over Russia’s Western Military District appear designed to show the west that even as the conflict in Ukraine rages on — despite this week’s new ceasefire agreement — the United States and European sanctions have not diminished Russia’s military might.

Russia to build more Arctic airfields

Ezekiel 38

Ezekiel 39

 

 

Russia is to have 14 operational airfields in the Arctic by the end of the year, state media quoted defence officials as saying on 13 January.

Ten airfields will be constructed by the end of 2015, in addition to the four already in use, deputy defence minister Dmitry Bulgakov reportedly said, according to the state-controlled Sputnik news agency.

New combat robot is Russian army’s very own deadly WALL-E

 

Recent military exercises near Kaliningrad saw the introduction of the Platform-M combat robot. The sophisticated new fighting platform is to be used for gathering intelligence, discovering and eliminating stationary and mobile targets, providing firepower support and guarding important sites.

For the first time, Russia’s armed forces have conducted war games with the participation of new Platform-M combat robots. In the course of the exercises by the Baltic Fleet, which took place in mid-June near Kaliningrad, the robotic combat platforms, armed with grenade launchers and Kalashnikov rifles, saw their first action, executing their military missions alongside their live colleagues. The dry runs coincided with the multinational Saber Strike 2014 and Baltops 2014 exercises being carried out by NATO in the same area.

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.

Russia reportedly seizes a Ukrainian military base, begins air drills in Crimea

For additional information from a second source, please see the following article: Report: Russian soldiers storm Ukrainian military base in Crimea

Armed men believed to be Russian seized a Ukrainian military base in Crimea Friday, triggering a standoff but no gunfire in the latest incident of escalating tension in the flashpoint peninsula.

The move followed reports earlier in the day that Russia had begun large-scale air defense drills.

Witnesses say Russian troops broke through the gate of a missile defense base with a military vehicle, trying to break into a command post, but no shots were fired, Interfax Ukraine reported.

Putin puts troops in western Russia on alert amid Ukraine tension

President Vladimir Putin ordered an urgent drill to test the combat readiness of armed forces across western Russia on Wednesday, news agencies reported, flexing Moscow’s military muscle amid tension with the West over Ukraine.

“In accordance with an order from the president of the Russian Federation, forces of the Western Military District were put on alert at 1400 (1000 GMT) today,” Interfax quoted Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu as saying.

Putin has ordered several such surprise drills in various parts of Russia since he returned to the presidency in 2012, saying the military must be kept on its toes, but the geopolitical overtones could hardly have been clearer this time.