Russian Defense Minister Admits That Their Drones Are Inferior

Russian unmanned air vehicle. © RIA Novosti. Alexei Danichev

Russian Military Drones Inferior to Foreign Models - Minister -- RIA Novosti

MOSCOW, June 3 (RIA Novosti) – Unmanned air vehicles (UAV), ground-based robotic systems and unmanned submersibles which Russian industry is developing for the Defense Ministry, are inferior to foreign analogs, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said on Monday.

Military robotic systems are under development as part of the state weapons program for 2011-2020, Shoigu said at a ministry conference call on Monday.

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My Comment: The Russian defense minister is admitting the obvious .... which is actually a positive sign. In the old Soviet Union these blunt comments were never uttered .... instead .... the opposite was said, and then nothing was done. At least now .... they are facing the truth.

Update: Meet Skat, Russia's stealthy drone -- Killer Apps

Russia's Military Is Meeting It's Recruitment Targets

Russian Military Colleges to Graduate 12,000 Officers in 2013. © RIA Novosti. Ramil Sitdikov

Russian Military Colleges To Graduate 12,000 Officers in 2013 -- RIA Novosti

MOSCOW, June 1 (RIA Novosti) - The military colleges of the Russian Defense Ministry will graduate almost 12,000 young officers this year, a ministry official said on Saturday.

A total of 11,500 lieutenants will be commissioned, said Viktor Goremykin, head of the Defense Ministry’s Chief Personnel Directorate.

Some 10,000 officers will continue service in the Russian Armed Forces while the other 1,500 will join other defense, security, and law enforcement agencies, he said.

The figure of 11,500 is “an optimal yearly target,” Goremykin added.

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My Comment: I am surprised by these numbers .... being in the Russian military is not the career choice for most Russian men. But if true .... this tells me that the Russian military is experiencing a "rebirth" and it is taking the necessary positive steps towards the establishment of a "professional" military that young men would be willing to serve for.

Russia Building Up Both Nuclear And Conventional Missile Defense Systems

Topol-M road-mobile intercontinental ballistic missile.(RIA Novosti / Syisoev)

Putin’s Power Play: Russia Building Up Missile Systems While Seeking To Limit U.S. Defenses -- Washington Times

Russia is engaged in a major buildup of both nuclear and conventional missile defense systems at the same time Moscow is seeking legal limits on U.S. missile defenses, according to U.S. officials.

The Russian military is developing and deploying an array of new and modernized anti-missile interceptors that are part of a strategic doctrine that calls for defending against what Moscow believes to be an increasing threat posed by offensive ballistic missiles, said U.S. officials with access to intelligence reports.

New systems monitored by U.S. intelligence agencies under development or in the deployment phase include an advanced S-500 missile defense system currently being built in addition to the already available, and very capable, S-400 and S-300 defenses.

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My Comment: So the Russian President is focused on securing (and enhancing) Russian national defense and security at the expense of everyone else .... including the U.S.. Shocking I tell you .... shocking .... that as Russian President his number one priority is protecting the Russian people. What is the world now coming to next .... cats and dogs living together?

Russian Army Wants Special Forces To Be A Central Part Of Their Force Structure

Russian Airborne Troops at Slatina airport, near Pristina, Kosovo, 1999. Source: RIA Novosti

Special Operations Force To Power Russian Army -- Russia And India Report

Commander of Russia’s Airborne Troops, Colonel-General Vladimir Shamanov talks about the role that troops can play in impending conflicts and the weapons that paratroopers and special forces will use in the future.

Less than two months ago, the Chief of the Russian General Staff announced that Russia would create a Special Operations Force following the example of leading powers. Some experts link this decision with the conclusions drawn by the military from the so-called five-day war in 2008.

Here are excerpts from an interview with the Commander of Airborne Troops, Hero of Russia Colonel-General Vladimir Shamanov.

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My Comment: They are clearly wanting to follow the U.S. lead.

The Russian Military And The Orthodox Church

Air-dropped church willl be introduced in the Russian army. (Russian Airborne Force press-service)

Russian Army Introduces The Flying Orthodox Church-In-A-Box -- The Guardian

The latest addition to the Russian military arsenal takes the form of an airborne church complete with parachuting priests

The Russian military unveiled an unlikely new weapon in its arsenal this month – an army of parachuting priests. The unit of chaplains, who have joined the Russian Airborne Force to train in parachute jumping and vehicle assembly, will operate out of flatpack churches that can be airlifted in to wherever soldiers may be stationed.

The church could be mistaken for a standard-issue army cabin, taking the form of a khaki-coloured shed on wheels, were it not for the cladding of gilded icons and the majestic onion dome spire sprouting from its rooftop. The mobile prayer room has also been fitted with a "life-sustaining module", which includes a diesel power source, an air-conditioning unit and a fridge, reported Russia Today.

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Update #1: Wing and a Prayer: Army's ‘flying priests’ to win war souls -- RT
Update #2: Russian Military Debuts 'Flying' Church, Parachuting-Priest Unit -- CP Europe
Update #3: Badass Russian paratrooper priests drop from heaven to serve soldiers -- MSN Now

My Comment: My father served in the Soviet Army during World War II .... and as he put it to me one time .... even the hard-core communist commissars prayed to God during the height of every battle.

Russian Army Life, One Instagram Pic At A Time (Photo Gallery)

“Me and my Ural 4320,” a heavy-duty truck used by the Russian military.

WNU Editor: The gallery starts here.

Russian President Putin Orders Surprise Military Drills On Black Sea

President Putin Orders Large-Scale Military Drills on Black Sea -- RIA Novosti

MOSCOW, March 28 (RIA Novosti) – Russian President Vladimir Putin unexpectedly ordered a snap large-scale military exercise on Thursday as concerns persist over armed forces combat readiness.

Presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Putin issued instructions to perform the exercise in the southern Black Sea region at 4:00 a.m.

The unscheduled exercise is the second in the space of two months and follows a major shake-up at the top of a military establishment demoralized by persistent evidence of rampant corruption.

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More News On Russian President Putin Ordering urprise Military Drills In The Black Sea

Russia stages massive surprise war games on Black Sea -- RT
Putin flexes Russia's military muscle in Black Sea exercises -- Reuters
Putin orders surprise military exercises -- Al Jazeera
Putin flexes Russia’s military muscle in Black Sea exercises -- Euronews
Putin Announces Surprise Military Drill In Black Sea -- Radio Free Europe
In the wee hours, Putin orders impromptu Russian war games -- Christian Science Monitor

My Comment: No one orders massive military drills unless there is a reason. In this case .... I can only speculate that it is because of U.S. military exercises in Georgia and/or because of Syria.

Russian Official: ‘No-Contact Warfare’ By 2020

Russian military prepare a pilotless reconnaissance drone for launch from a pad at a position in Khasavyurt region in Dagestan near the Chechen.(Reuters)

Russian Weapons Chief Promises ‘No-Contact Warfare’ By 2020 -- RT

Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin has vowed that the primary objective for the current Russian weapons program is to minimize military casualties.

Speaking at a Friday session of the enlarged collegium of the state military tender commission, the military industry chief said that by 2020, Russia’s military will be equipped with weapons allowing for “no-contact warfare.”

“We should arrange it in such way that the military forces change onto no-contact warfare, so that they catch the enemy before the enemy catches us and eliminate them even before they think about total destruction of our military,” Rogozin announced.

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My Comment: This is an overly optimistic goal .... but that is the trend that political leaders want their military to attain .... fighting wars without suffering casualties.

No More Free Cigarettes For Russian Troops

In Russia, apparently quitting them will kill too. Photo: ajnabeee/Flickr

Russia Fears Its Troops Will Riot if Cigarette Rations End -- Danger Room

Russia’s new defense minister wants to extinguish one of the Russian military’s most endemic health problems and martial perks: giving free cigarettes to troops. His challenge is to prevent nicotine-deprived soldiers from violently freaking out.

Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu has reportedly drawn up a rule to end the longstanding practice of providing enlisted troops and cadets with 10 cigarettes a day. According to the Russian newspaper Izvestia, the reason is pretty straightforward: Russian soldiers choke down cigarettes, and the subsidy is encouraging the next generation of uniformed addicts.

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My Comment: Cigarettes are also used as a type of "currency" by Russian soldiers. In my own case, I always brought cartons of Marlboros when I was visiting my cousins who were serving in the Soviet military .... trust me .... those smokes were always appreciated .... especially Marlboros. I can also include China in this mix .... when I was working in China in the late-1980s, cartons of Marlboros opened many a door for me when I wanted to meet someone and/or do business in the country. But today .... sighhhh .... everyone now wants cash.

Maggots In Russian MREs

Russian military dry rations. © RIA Novosti. Ekaterina Chesnokova

Looking For Worms In Army Food, Russian Inspectors Make Unsavory Find -- Radio Free Europe

Russian inspectors had been looking for maggots in the kitchens of an army base on the tiny Pacific island of Kunashir after soldiers there complained of being given worm-infested food.

They were unable to back up the soldiers' claims. What they found, however, was just as unappetizing.

A report published by Rosselkhoznadzor, Russia's food safety and sanitary watchdog, says food at the base was stored in “gross violations of sanitary norms.”

According to the report, the walls and ceilings of the storage room were covered in mold and peeling plaster. The agency mentioned rusty food cans. It also found fault with the storage of grains.

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Update: Watchdog Seizes Rotten Food at Kurils Army Base -- RIA Novosti

My Comment: My cousins who served in the Russian military tell me that this was their pet peeve when they served. The food was total crap.

Russian President Putin Orders The Defense Ministry To Get It's 'House' In Order

Putin Orders Defense Ministry to Get House in Order. © RIA Novosti. Alexey Nikolskiy

Putin Orders Defense Ministry To Get House In Order -- RIA Novosti

MOSCOW, February 27 (RIA Novosti) - President Vladimir Putin instructed the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces on Wednesday to sort out issues related to housing for soldiers and the problems affecting garrison towns.

In an address to an extended meeting of senior officers at the Defense Ministry in Moscow, Putin ordered the Ministry to deal once and for all with all unfulfilled housing obligations, saying “there should be no such notion as an officer without an apartment.”

Putin earlier described the issue of service housing as “eternal.” The lack of army housing has been one of its most pressing problems since the Soviet era, particularly following the withdrawal from the former Warsaw Pact nations in the early 1990's, despite a massive downsizing of the forces since that time.

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More News On Russian President Putin's Remarks On The Russian Military

Putin warns of foreign threat, vows non-stop military reform -- RT
Russia's Putin tells army to shape up to face foreign threat -- Reuters
Russia Army Upgrade: Putin Calls For Dramatic Military Development -- Huffington Post/AP
Russia's Putin calls for drastic upgrade of the country's aging army within 3 years -- Calgary Herald/AP
Putin sees strategic balance threatened -- UPI
Putin seeks to close US military gap -- Financial Times
Putin announces drastic upgrade of Russian Army -- First Post
Putin tells army to shape up -- iol News

Russian Military To Develop An Anti-Meteorite Defense System

Russian Military To Develop Anti-Meteorite Defenses -- RIA Novosti

MOSCOW, February 20 (RIA Novosti) – The Russian Aerospace Defense Forces will develop a series of measures aimed at protecting the Russian soil from falling meteorites and other dangerous space objects, commander of the western military district’s aviation Maj. Gen. Igor Makushev said on Wednesday.

“The Aerospace Defense Forces have been ordered to handle this issue and come up with a plan to protect Russia from these ‘space travelers,’” Makushev said.

The announcement comes days after a meteorite entered the Earth’s atmosphere undetected by existing space-monitoring means and slammed into Russia’s Urals on Friday with a massive boom that blew out windows and damaged thousands of buildings around the city of Chelyabinsk, injuring 1,200 people in the area. According to the Health Ministry, 52 were hospitalized.

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Update: Russia Military To Shoot Down Meteorites -- Forbes

My Comment: I am skeptical of this report .... especially after reading this.

Is Russia's Early Warning System Working?

How Russia's missile defence systems missed it: The radar fans of the Russian early warning system are plotted here on Google Earth, with the suspected trajectory of the incoming meteorite shown in green

How Did Russia's Early Warning System Miss The Meteorite? Nuclear Missile-Detecting Radars Never Saw It Coming -- Daily Mail

The 10,000-ton lump of space rock exploded with the force of 25 atom bombs over the city of Chelyabinsk on Friday morning
Russian Nuclear Forces Project experts explain that the country's early warning system was never meant to track meteorites

Questions are being asked as to why Russia's powerful missile defence radar systems did not detect the meteorite that exploded over the country on Friday morning.

Almost 1,200 were injured when the untracked lump of space rock exploded over the Urals, with the debris narrowly missing a direct and devastating hit on the industrial city of Chelyabinsk.

In the aftermath of the impact Russian politicians called on the world's powerful nations to urgently develop technology to spot asteroids and meteorites that threaten our planet.

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My Comment: One part of me says that the Russian system was not geared to track meteorites. Another part of me says that maybe we should be grateful that the system failed in tracking this meteorite strike .... not mistaking it as an inbound ICBM when it entered earth's atmosphere. I am also sure that these questions are being asked in Russia right now .... otherwise why propose this.

Update: There Is No Way to Stop Space Rocks From Hurtling to Earth and Killing You -- Danger Room

Russian Army Ordered To Wear Socks

Russian Military Ordered To Switch To Socks -- New York Times

Near the end of World War II, Soviet and American soldiers met at the Elbe River in Germany. Lacking a common language, they compared their boots.

The Americans wore socks and lace-up boots. The Russians wore something that boggled the minds of their allies from the West: pieces of cloth twirled around their feet and inserted into bulky, knee-high boots.

The cloth strips, called portyanki, have been a signature element of the Russian military uniform since the 16th century. On Monday Russia’s minister of defense issued an order for a militarywide switch to socks.

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More News On The Russian Military Being Ordered To Use Socks

Army to Stop Using Footwraps -- Moscow Times
Russian Army to get rid of footcloths -- Pravda
Russian Army to Put On Socks -- Wall Street Journal
Russian soldiers told to ditch footwraps for socks -- The Times
Foot wraps get the boot at last for Russian soldiers -- The Australian/Wall Street Journal
Russian army to outlaw foot cloths -- The Nation/AFP
Russian Defense Minister Declares War On Footwraps -- Radio Free Europe
Russian army to ban foot cloths in favour of socks -- Digital Journal
Russian defense minister: Soldiers must wear socks -- Foreign Policy
Russian army: Footwraps are out, socks are in -- Russia & India Report

Russia To Triple Defense Spending In Three Years

Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin. © RIA Novosti. Alexei Druzhinin

Russia To Triple State Defense Order By 2015 -- RIA Novosti

MOSCOW, December 27 (RIA Novosti) – Russia will gradually increase the annual amount of the state defense order to 2.8 trillion rubles (about $92 billion) by 2015, Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said on Thursday.

“The state defense order will reach about 1.9 trillion rubles next year, about 2.2 trillion in 2014 and 2.8 trillion in 2015," Rogozin said in an interview with Rossiya 24 television.

Russia allocated about 908 billion rubles (about $30.7 bln) on state defense order spending in 2012.

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Update: Russia to triple military spending -- Examiner

My Comment: When a country is tripling their defense spending .... that's usually a sign that they are preparing to go to war. Fortunately .... Russia is not preparing to go to war .... they are implementing a massive modernization program. But they also see the U.S. as a declining world power that is creating a political/military vacuum in areas where Russian interests coincide. In short .... Russia is positioning itself for the worse. (i.e. Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Central Asia, Chinese border disputes, unrest in Caucasus, etc.) just to name a few.

Russia Will Soon Permit Women To Serve As Conscripts In The Military

At present, the Russian legislation allows women to serve in the military only under contracts. © RIA Novosti. Oleg Zoloto

Russia May Soon Draft New Law On Military Service For Women -- RIA Novosti

MOSCOW, December 26 (RIA Novosti) – A bill on voluntary military conscription for women could be introduced in the lower house of the Russian parliament by February 1, 2013, a Russian lawmaker said.

“We will be surveying the public opinion until January 15 and spend the rest of January discussing our initiative with colleagues,” Tatyana Moskalkova from the Just Russia faction in the State Duma and a co-author of the bill told reporters on Tuesday.

“If everything goes well, we will introduce this bill in the State Duma by February 1,” Moskalkova said.

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Update #1: Russia may soon draft new law on military service for women -- Voice of Russia
Update #2: Duma deputies propose military service for women -- Russia And India Report

My Comment: Here is an interesting article from Pravda on the Russian military .... it is arguing that the reason why many Russian women want to join the military is to find suitable husbands. (LOL). But aside from this "opinion", there is still a lot of good info in this Pravda article on other issues confronting the military.

Avoiding The Military Draft In Russia

Russians Risk Jail To Avoid Military Draft -- Al Jazeera

Thousands of young men are dodging the draft over fears of hazing during military training.

The Russian Defence Ministry's autumn military recruitment drive to reinforce its rank of about a million soldiers is in full swing.

But every year it struggles to find the minimum number of recruits.

Thousands of young men are dodging the draft and many are willing to risk jail to avoid the army all together.

Al Jazeera's Charles Stratford reports from the capital, Moscow.

WNU Editor: Video report from Al Jazeera

Russian Female Paratroopers Take Intensive Training (Photo Gallery)

WNU Editor: Russian winter .... brrrr!!!!! The gallery starts here.

Russian President Putin Fires Top General In Major Military Reshuffle

Russian Military Faces Major Reshuffle -- RIA Novosti

MOSCOW, November 9 (RIA Novosti) – The dismissal of the chief of the Armed Forces General Staff, General of the Army Nikolai Makarov, may pave the way for major changes within the ranks of Russia’s military leadership amid financial scandals and conflicts over defense policy.

Russian President Vladimir Putin sacked Makarov on Friday, replacing him with former Central Military District commander Col. Gen. Valery Gerasimov.

Gerasimov’s promotion follows Monday's appointment of Sergei Shoigu as Defense Minister, replacing Anatoly Serdyukov, who was dismissed amid an investigation into nearly $100 million in fraudulent transactions involving real estate owned by Oboronservis, a ministry-controlled company.

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More News On Major Changes In Russia's Top Military Leadership

Putin Appoints New Chief of General Staff -- RIA Novosti
Russia sacks armed forces chief amid corruption scandal -- BBC
Putin Replaces Russian Army Chief in Military Shake-up -- Defense News/AFP
Russia's Putin fires top general after graft scandal -- Reuters
Putin fires Russian military chief -- Financial Times
Putin Presses Overhaul of Top Military Leaders -- New York Times
Putin Dismisses Military Chief After Defense Minister Ouster -- Bloomberg Businessweek
Putin reshuffles top Russian military officers -- FOX News/AP
Putin Replaces Army Chief of Staff -- Voice of America
Russian President Reshuffles Top Generals Amid Fraud Investigation -- Radio Free Europe
Russia has new military staff chief -- UPI
Profile: Russia's new military chief Valery Gerasimov -- BBC

Cigarettes And Ammo Dumps Do Not Mix

4,000 Tons Of Shells Explode In Central Russia, Leave Mushroom Cloud-Like Plume Of Smoke -- RT

More than 4,000 tons of shells exploded near a military testing ground some 40 kilometers from the city of Orenburg in Central Russia, prompting the mass evacuation of two nearby towns.

Those 4,000 tons included 1,379 tons of 100mm shells, 400 tons of air bombs and 2,300 tons of 280mm reactive shells, the head of the military investigative committee announced.

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More News On 4,000 Tons Of Shells Exploding At A Russian Military Base

So THAT'S why they don't let you smoke around munition dumps! 'Cigarette' sparks blast a quarter of the size of Hiroshima at Russian military testing site -- Daily Mail
Ammunition Explosion Rocks Orenburg Region Army Base -- Moscow Times
4,000 tons of exploding shells rock Russian military test site near Kazakhstan border -- Washington Post/APFire breaks out on Russian ammo train -- UPI
4,000 tonnes of old munitions explode in Russia -- DNA/PTI
Evacuated Residents Return Home after Munitions Blasts in Russia -- RIA Novosti