Tuesday, 22 January 2013

Russia starts major naval drills in Mediterranean Sea - SYRIAN WAR WILL END BY JULY 2013

Russian Black fleet ships take part in a Russian military Navy Day parade near an important navy base in the Ukrainian town of Sevastopol, on July 31, 2011.

Sun Jan 20, 2013 11:22AM

Russia has launched its largest naval exercises in decades in the Mediterranean and Black Seas near the territorial waters of Syria amid the ongoing crisis in the Arab country.

The drills “are held in line with the Russian Armed Forces’ 2013 combat training plan and focus on interoperability of task forces from several fleets while on a mission in a far-off maritime zone,” said an official statement by Russia’s Defense Ministry on Saturday.

The maneuvers will continue until January 29 and comprise more than 60 drills, including anti-submarine warfare missions, missile and artillery firing practices.

Russia’s Black Sea, Northern and Baltic fleets, strategic bombers, tactical aircraft, air defense units, paratroopers and naval infantry will take part in the naval exercises.

The task forces have four large landing ships and a variety of auxiliary vessels in their composition which enable the Russian forces to carry out simulated beach landing and convoy escort missions.

Some of naval maneuvers are expected to be conducted in the eastern part of the Mediterranean near the territorial waters of Syria where foreign-backed terrorists have stepped up their campaign against the government of President Bashar al-Assad.

Russia has criticized the Western countries’ support for the terrorists in the Arab country.

Syria has been experiencing unrest since mid-March 2011. Many people, including large numbers of army and security personnel, have been killed in the violence.

ASH/MA

RUSSIAN ANALYSTS : SYRIAN WAR WILL END BY JULY 2013

Posted on January 20, 2013 by Alexandra Valiente

Many thanks to Eretz Zen for these reports.

Eretz Zen

Published on 20 Jan 2013

A recent interview on RT Arabic with Marat Musin, a reporter and political analyst, reveals that many Russian political experts & analysts are predicting that the war in Syria will end in half a year, around July 2013. Their conclusions are based primarily on an observable shift in US policy regarding Syria, where changes in the US administration are very likely to lead to a drop in support for the Salafist groups – “Free Syrian Army” (FSA) terrorists.

The discussion also analyzes the meaning of the upcoming naval exercises that Russia will be conducting in the Eastern Mediterranean and that are the largest since the fall of the Soviet Empire.

Source: RT Arabic

Russia to Hold the Largest Naval Exercise in its Recent History Near Syria

Eretz Zen

Published on 6 Jan 2013

The Russian navy is about to stage its largest war exercise in a long time — possibly the largest since before the breakup of the Soviet Union. It’s a chance for President Vladimir Putin to show off his military might, of course. But the exercise may also be a subtle warning to the United States: Stay clear of waters that traditionally lie in Russia’s sphere of influence.

The Russian defense ministry says it is the “first time in decades” that it has launched naval exercises on this scale. The drills involve warships from all of Russia’s fleets: “the Northern, Baltic, Black Sea and Pacific,” noted a statement from the ministry. The exercise will be reportedly held in late January and will involve amphibious landings in the Caucasus and naval exercises in the Mediterranean.

Source

Russia Navy Starts Biggest Drills in Black and Mediterranean Seas

Jan 20, 2013

MOSCOW, (SANA) – The Russian Navy has started the largest military drills in the Black and Mediterranean Seas under the supervision of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces.
Russia Today website on Saturday quoted Information Office of the Russian Defense Ministry as saying in a statement that warships of the Black Sea, Baltic and North Fleets are participating in what it described it as “the biggest combat exercises for decades.”
Earlier, a military diplomatic source said that the large landing Azov Ship is heading for Tartous after it was supplied with the required war equipment, loading infantry units of the Russian Navy, as the Ship has reached Aegean Sea to join other Russian warships there.
R. Milhem / Ghossoun