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Russia
Mobilizes 160,000 Troops After US Officials Confirm Israel Took Out
Russian Missiles At Latakia Arsenal in Syria
The Most Ambitious Since 1991 Military Exercises In The Far East
13
July, 2013
Unnamed
U.S. officials tell CNN that Israel struck Russian-made missiles in
Latakia, Syria last Friday.
A
series of explosions last week at a critical Syrian port was the
result of airstrikes by Israeli warplanes, multiple U.S. officials
told CNN on Friday.
Regional
media widely reported the predawn explosions at Latakia on July 5,
but no one had officially claimed responsibility.
Three
U.S. officials told CNN the target of the airstrikes were
Russian-made Yakhont anti-ship missiles that Israel believes posed a
threat to its naval forces.
The
officials declined to be named because of the sensitive nature of the
information.
According
to the press service of the Russian Defense Ministry, on the orders
of Vladimir Putin, was launched the most extensive in the post-Soviet
history, since 1991, the military exercise in Russia-in exercises
involving troops of the Central and Eastern military districts, the
Pacific Fleet, The Long and Military Transport Aviation of
Russia…
more at:
more at:
MOSCOW,
July 13. / ITAR-TASS /. In the Armed Forces of Russia today
at 01:00 MSK began the most ambitious in the history of post-Soviet
test readiness. This was reported by the press service
management and information the Defense Ministry.
On
the eve of Russian President Vladimir Putin during a meeting with
Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu ordered to begin on the night of July
13, sudden military test in the Eastern Military District. “I
instruct to conduct surprise inspections of the Eastern Military
District, to bring to all users of this directive and in the morning
from 12 to 13 to bring the troops of the Eastern Military District on
full alert to their conclusion in the areas of study, the landfills,”
– said Putin.
“To
test the combat readiness of association involved, the military units
of the Central and Eastern military districts, the Pacific Fleet, as
well as long-range and military transport aircraft Air Force Russia”,
– reported in the Ministry of Defense.
Approximately
160,000 military are involved in the sudden inspection readiness of
Russian Army
The
number of military involved in the sudden checking readiness of the
Russian Armed Forces, has doubled – to 160,000, according to RIA
Novosti ,
citing the statement of Russian Defense Minister, Army General Sergei
Shoigu at a teleconference in the center of the military.
In
large-scale testing also involves about 1,000 tanks and armored
vehicles, 130 long-range aircraft, military transport, fighter,
bomber and the Army Air Corps, as well as up to 70 ships of the Navy,
said the minister.
The
troops carried out to bring the event to a higher degree of combat
readiness of military units to regroup with the help of various modes
of transport. Special attention is Shoigu told reporters, is
paid to the command and control, as well as the transport, logistics
and medical support.
MOSCOW,
July 13 (RIA Novosti) Russia’s defense minister on Saturday said
that up to 160,000 servicemen are involved in the
large-scale exercises in the Eastern Military District, double the
number initially reported.
“The total number of servicemen involved in the snap drills was up to 81,000 last night, the figure this morning was up to 160,000 servicemen,” Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said.
The exercises also involve about 1,000 tanks and armored vehicles, 130 aircraft and 70 warships from the Pacific Fleet, Shoigu confirmed. These latter figures remain unchanged.
Russia
has staged large-scale military exercises in the country’s Eastern
military district aimed at enhancing the defense capabilities of its
armed forces, Defense Ministry says.
The
drills, which are the largest surprise check of combat readiness of
the Russian military in the post-Soviet period, started on Saturday.
Israel behind mystery attack on Syrian port – US sources
US
officials have revealed that explosions reported at a key Syrian port
on July 5 were likely the result of an Israeli airstrike.
RT,
13
July, 2013
Three
officials spoke to CNN on condition of anonymity, referring to the
pre-dawn explosions in the city of Latakia as an Israeli operation
which allegedly targeted Russian-made Yakhont anti-ship missiles.
The
Yakhont is a cruise missile with a range of 300 kilometers, capable
of delivering a warhead weighing in at 250 kilograms. Russia supplied
Syria’s armed forces with a Yakhont missile battery in 2011.
Shortly
after the July 5 incident, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for
Human Rights (SOHR) reported that "huge explosions shook the
area where a large Syrian army base and weapons depots are located."
According
to reports by the SOHR published by Haaretz, fighter jets were seen
in the skies around the city of Al-Haffah, which lies east of
Latakia. Several troops were reported as having been killed or
wounded in the ensuing explosions.
Syrian
rebels said on Tuesday that “foreign forces” had destroyed
advanced anti-ship missiles in Latakia, but only hinted that Israel
had been behind the attack, Arutz Sheva reported.
Qassem
Saadeddine, spokesman for the Free Syrian Army's Supreme Military
Council, reported that the rebels' intelligence network had
identified missiles being stored in the depots which were hit.
"It
was not the FSA that targeted this," Saadeddine told Reuters.
"It is not an attack that was carried out by rebels. This attack
was either by air raid or long-range missiles fired from boats in the
Mediterranean," he said.
Syrian
rebels described hearing and seeing huge blasts, the ferocity of
which was beyond the firepower available to the FSA.
So
far the Israeli government has declined to confirm or comment on
allegations that it was behind the July 5 attack on Latakia. If the
claims are true, the attack would mark the fourth Israeli strike on
Syria within the past six months.
In
May, Israel launched two airstrikes on Syrian territory. One of the
strikes was thought to be on the country’s Scientific Studies and
Research Center, which was previously attacked by the Israeli Air
Force in January. Another attack, which took place on May 3, targeted
Fateh-110 surface-to-surface missiles provided by Iran and based at
Damascus International Airport.
"We
have set red lines in regards to our own interests, and we keep them.
There is an attack here, an explosion there, various versions - in
any event, in the Middle East it is usually we who are blamed for
most," Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon told reporters on
Tuesday.
"There
is an explosion here or an attack there, somewhere in the Middle
East, most of the time they accuse us," he added.
Israel
previously stated that the acquisition of sophisticated weaponry by
Hezbollah in Lebanon, which is supported by both Syria and Iran,
would represent a red line and merit a response.
In
all prior instances of strikes linked to Israel’s armed forces,
officials have not gone on record to take responsibility for the
incursions. At the same time, Tel Aviv has made clear that the
country is prepared to go into Syria if it means preventing Hezbollah
or other militant groups from obtaining additional weaponry.
Israel
considers advanced missile systems such as the Yakhont to be a threat
to vital infrastructure on the country's coast, including gas
reservoirs and a power station in Hadera, Haaretz reported.
Gearoid
O Colmain, an investigative author and journalist believes that this
latest attack by Israel was part of a long Israeli strategy against
Syria and that Syria has little choice but to respond at some point.
“After
the last attack in May President Assad said he would respond
strategically and I think what he means by that is that with
Hezbollah now in the picture in Syria, the Golan Heights will become
an area of tension and I think he has said as well that they will
provoke an uprising against the Israeli occupation of the Golan
Heights,” he told RT.
Russia
stages large-scale military drills’
Russia
has staged large-scale military exercises in the country’s Eastern
military district aimed at enhancing the defense capabilities of its
armed forces, Defense Ministry says.
Smoke rises in the city of Latakia.(Reuters / Handout)
13
July, 2013
The
drills, which are the largest surprise check of combat readiness of
the Russian military in the post-Soviet period, started on Saturday.
The
surprise training exercise involves over 80,000 troops, some 1,000
tanks and armored vehicles, 130 aircraft and helicopters 70 warships
and will continue until July 20.
“The
main goal of the drills is to check the readiness of units to carry
out their missions, and to assess the quality of their training and
technical preparedness,” Russia’s Defense Ministry said in a
statement.
On
Friday, during a meeting with Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu Russian,
Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered an unexpected military
drill, urging all forces to enter a state of full combat readiness on
the night of July 13.
Earlier
in May, Putin said that surprise military drills was a perfect way to
keep the armed forces in good shape and pledged to continue similar
practices in the future.
The
Eastern Military District, which was formed in 2010, is considered as
one of the four operational strategic commands of the Russian Armed
Forces.
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