Russian arms help Chavez launch guerrilla warfare against USA

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has urged soldiers to prepare for a guerrilla-style war against the United States.
He said the US government is using psychological and economic warfare as part of an unconventional campaign aimed at derailing his government.

Dressed in olive green fatigues and a red beret, Chavez spoke yesterday inside Tiuna Fort – Venezuela’s military nerve-centre – before hundreds of uniformed soldiers standing alongside armoured vehicles and tanks decorated with banners reading: “Fatherland,Socialism, or Death! We will triumph!”

“We must continue developing the resistance war, that’s the anti-imperialist weapon. We must think and prepare for the resistance war everyday,” said Chavez, who has repeatedly warned that American soldiers could invade Venezuela to seize control of the South American nation’s immense oil reserves.

US officials reject claims that Washington is considering a military attack. But the US government has expressed concern over what it perceives as a significant arms built-up here,irishexaminer.com reports.

Under Chavez, Venezuela has recently purchased some $3 billion worth of arms from Russia, including 53 military helicopters, 100,000 Kalashnikov rifles, 24 SU-30 Sukhoi fighter jets.

Last week, Chavez said he is considering arms purchases, including submarines and a missile-equipped air defense system, as he prepares for a tour of Russia, Belarus and Iran.

“We are strengthening Venezuela’s military power precisely to avoid imperial aggressions and assure peace, not to attack anybody,” he said Sunday.

Opposition leader Julio Borges condemned the president’s interest in acquiring weapons, saying the government should focus on reducing violent crime in Venezuela, which has one of the highest homicide rates in Latin America, the AP reports.

Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez travels this week to Iran, Russia and Belarus — all countries which have found themselves at loggerheads recently with the United States, his longtime nemesis.

Chavez departs Tuesday for his week-long tour, from June 26 to July 3, defiantly insisting that he will purchase Russian submarines and possibly an air defense system from Belarus, despite vocal objections from Washington.

Chavez, who views himself as Bush’s arch-enemy, will be cultivating relations with each of the regimes, in an apparent bid to drive an even deeper wedge with between the United States and its adversaries.

Each of the countries on Chavez’s itinerary has locked horns with Washington in recent weeks over conflicts that have yet to be resolved.

Chavez has said he hopes to put the “finishing touches” on an agreement to purchase from Belarus an integrated air defense system with a 200-300-kilometer range (125-200 miles).

Earlier this month, US President George W. Bush renewed sanctions against hard-line Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko and nine others deemed obstacles to democracy in Belarus.

Bush accused the regime of human rights abuses, undermining democracy, illegally detaining and secretly holding dissidents and engaging in public corruption.

Relations between Russia and the United States, meanwhile, are at a post-Cold War low due to political and security differences.

Specifically, Moscow and Washington have traded barbs about a US plan to place interceptor missiles in Poland and elements of a linked radar system in the Czech Republic.

Bush will welcome Russian President Vladimir Putin to his family’s compound in Kennebunkport, Maine on July 1 and 2 — on the heels of Chavez’ visit to Moscow — in an effort to smooth over differences.

Flush with petrodollars, Chavez said last week he might purchase some Russian submarines when he meets with Putin — a deal observers said could chill the planned Putin-Bush summit.

Media reports in Moscow this month said Chavez wanted to buy as many as nine submarines to protect shipping lanes for key oil exports, AFPreports.

Russia to head anti-western alliance

Russia became a center of the new anti-western alliance called BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India, and China). This was caused by the recent recognition of Kosovo’s independence by the West.

 

Hard times for the EU concerning Kosovo question are just going to start, although many thought that after Pristina was recognized by the west, the rest countries are to do the same. Nothing of the kind.

There suddenly emerged an almost forgotten union called BRIC – informal alliance of the countries that stand for Kosovo’s status to be overviewed. Moscow was backed up especially by Beijing and Delhi. They proposed the dialogue on the status of former Serbian region to be started again. The meeting of BRIC members took place in Russia, which hosted foreign ministers from Brazil, China and India.

But what’s the purpose of these conversations? We can’t turn back time and Kosovo’s Albanians will never voluntarily go back under Serbia’s wing, the country that was claimed to have used genocide against Kosovo residents. Kosovo’s battle for integrity was lost not on February 17, 2008, but a long time before – in 1999, when Serbia couldn’t oppose NATO’s aggression. Besides, Kosovo’s independence has already been recognized by about 40 countries, among which are such superpowers as Britain and the USA, Germany and France. They are not going to change their choice. Moreover, it would sound ridiculous to deny Kosovo’s independence, which was the successful result of NATO campaign in 1999. Kosovo, with its vast colored metals resources, is today, in fact, one of America’s biggest bases – it hosts about 16 thousand US soldiers.

However, the BRIC alliance is not that stupid not to understand evident things. Alexander Rar, a famous European political analyst, says that BRIC tries to found an alliance that would oppose Western politics. ‘Thus, it is possible that Dmitry Medvedev may start his rule with a new anti-western attack. In fact, it’s a new attempt to reflect the world political situation. But it’s unlikely that in the next couple of years BRIC is to become a strong military and political alliance like NATO. Probably it’s going to be a union of countries with common interests.

But why was Russia backed up by exactly these countries? The thing is, each of BRIC members has its own ‘Kosovo problems’. The West traditionally sympathizes with North Caucasus terrorists. But it’s not just about Russia. The USA is trying to make an uprising start in southern and south-western ‘Native American’ territories of Brazil. Then, there are a lot of similar problems in India – with the regions of Nagaland, Kashmir, and Sikh. China has faced tough separatist actions in Tibet that were the direct result of the uprising in Kosovo. All these conflicts are spark by the West. Funny enough, its participants are called ‘freedom fighters’ whereas the citizens of Abkhazia and North Ossetia that haven’t had anything in common with pro-Western Georgia for a long time, are called separatists.

So Europe and the USA again demonstrate ‘double standards’ and use Kosovo’s precedent against the countries that are not considered to be very friendly with the Western world. The reason is simple: they try to weaken their growing rivals with internal conflicts. Note that in 2003 the experts of Goldman Sachs investment bank called Brazil, India, China and Russia the most perspective countries in economy and stated that by 2030 they will have become at least superpowers on their continents. This process, however, can be stopped by enkindling interfaith and international conflicts with the foreign help. So, in this situation the ‘defensive tactics’ of BRIC will be not enough. BRIC needs to beat the ‘enemy’ with its own weapon, helping our ‘freedom fighters’ in the west, and thus giving the West what they produced back with the boomerang. What goes around, comes around, they say…

 

A ring-net for precision weapons

 

RIA Novosti political commentator Andrei Kislyakov

The Topol strategic missile launchers that rolled through Red Square on May 9 were impressive to the eye, though I hope there is no intention to use these weapons.

Meanwhile the ‘density’ of armed conflicts across the world keeps growing, and the main role in these conflicts is played by conventional, yet precision, weapons.

The missile defense system being set up by the Americans, incorporating ground, naval and space components tightly integrated with Air Defense systems, is an effort to protect themselves not only against strategic nuclear missiles, but against the whole spectrum of precision weapons. While the pragmatic Americans, who figured out early that to integrate all aerospace defense would mean putting it in one bundle, have been working on this program for a long time already, Russia’s government only developed a similar program and started its implementation as late as the end of April.

As Sergei Ivanov, until this week First Deputy Prime Minister, pointed out, the range of measures involves creating a multi-service system of defenses against precision weapons, including unified control and information systems, to protect Russia’s Armed Forces, economy and infrastructure. Sergei Ivanov stressed that today’s Army and Navy are equipped with air defense missile systems developed in the 1960’s and 70’s.

Mr Ivanov’s comments imply a quick re-tooling of the armed forces with modern air defense weapons capable of repulsing airspace attacks. This mainly concerns the S-400 Triumph air-defense and theater anti-missile weapon (NATO reporting name SA-21 Growler), which proved highly capable in tests last July.

This system is a really good one. Unlike its predecessor, the S-300, it is capable of engaging targets not only in the air, but also in outer space. It could potentially become the backbone of both Russia’s unified aerospace defense system and a European non-strategic missile defense.

Unfortunately, however, the new weapons are being deployed far too slowly, and in too small numbers, to have any effect. The sole S-400 battalion is deployed in the vicinity of the Moscow Region town of Elektrostal.

Speaking on the creation of an integral air defense missile system and preparations for its serial production, Sergei Ivanov noted a number of problems impeding the process, primarily inadequate financing and coordination, lack of manufacturing capacities for mass production and poor quality of component parts produced.

These problems are not only hampering defense production but are also a scourge of the entire national economy. In addition, the defense industry has lately developed a harmful habit of exporting the bulk of its latest and most sophisticated hardware, ignoring the requirements of the national Armed Forces. The S-400 is no exception, and its export record is predetermined.

In other words, we are still a long way from deploying a dependable air defense system capable of reliably protecting all vital infrastructures within the Russian territory. By that time Triumph would be obsolete and helpless against new modernized guided precision weapons, and its capability would not match its name.

Yet missiles are not the only means of countering modern precision weapons.

Precision weapons are means of destruction comprising guidance or automatic homing devices. So it is possible to defend a location either by destroying the bomb or missile, or by hindering its homing mechanisms. The latter option envisages creating effective counter measures.

Modern foreign precision weapons use automatic homing devices operating within the visible, infrared and radar spectra. With its homing system “blinded”, a cruise missile is virtually useless.

The Russian military have already developed a relatively cheap way of protecting a large area without deploying air-defense missile systems. The idea is to use remote-detonated munitions to build up a high-altitude barrage, lowering the target contrast in all three spectra and disorientating the incoming precision weapon.

It’s clear that one shouldn’t rely solely upon this method of countering precision-guided munitions. But any means of protection are good in today’s world with its avalanche-like pace of developing new weapons systems.

 

Radar site in south Russia to be put on combat duty in Feb. 2009

 

Russia’s new Voronezh-type radar site in the southern town of Armavir will be put on combat duty in February 2009, the commander of the Russian Space Forces said on Monday.

“To be exact, on February 26, the radar will be capable of replacing the missile attack warning sites in Mukachevo [western Ukraine] and Sevastopol [the Crimea],” Colonel General Vladimir Popovkin told journalists.

Popovkin said Russia and Ukraine had withdrawn from the agreement on using these radar sites. The agreement, signed in 1997, defined the main principles for using early-warning missile systems located in Ukraine, as well as the operational order for Mukachevo and Sevastopol units and their provision, funding, modernization and reconstruction.

“The Space Forces had a choice – whether to repair the obsolete Ukrainian radars or start work to build a new station near Armavir. The decision was made to build the new station so that it could be put on experimental combat duty by December 2008,” Popovkin said.

With an effective range of 4,000 kilometers (2,500 miles) the Voronezh-type radar has capabilities similar to its predecessors, the Dnepr and Daryal, which are currently deployed outside Russia, but uses less power and is more environmentally friendly.

Washington wants to place 10 missile interceptors in Poland and a radar station in the neighboring Czech Republic, purportedly to counter a missile threat from Iran and other “rogue” states. Russia has fiercely opposed the plans, saying the European shield would destroy the strategic balance of forces and threaten Russia’s national interests.

Former president Vladimir Putin proposed last year setting up missile defense information exchange centers in Moscow and Brussels. Russia has also offered the U.S. use of radar stations at Armavir and Gabala in Azerbaijan, as alternatives to the missile shield deployment in Central Europe.

 

EU approves JV between SolVin (Solvay), BASF and Sibur

The European Union said on Monday it had cleared the joint venture between SolVin, owned by the Solvay Group, BASF, and the Russian energy giant Gazprom’s Sibur.

Solvay Group, which owns 75% of SolVin, employs more than 28,000 people and had around $15 billion of sales in 2007. SolVin is mainly specialized in PVC (polyvinyl chloride) and PVDC (polyvinylidene chloride) production. The remainder of SolVin is owned by BASF, a major chemical company with $90 billion of sales in 2007 and about 95,000 employees.

The venture, called RusVinyl, with 650 million Euro of scheduled investment, will be a PVC production complex to be built in the Nizhny Novgorod Region, in central European Russia.

The EU’s European Commision said the transaction was reviewed based on ‘simplified’ merger procedures which the commission believes do not create competition concerns.

Dmitry Konov, Sibur’s president, said earlier that the JV products would constitute around 30% of the Russian market. The plant, which is expected to produce around 330 tons of PVC annually, is scheduled for construction by the third quarter of 2010.

Russia wins 2008 Ice Hockey World Championship in Canada

Russia’s national ice hockey team beat Canada 5-4 in overtime in the final of the 2008 IIHF World Championship in Canada to become world champions for the first time in 15 years.

Trailing the Canadians 2-4 in the third period on Sunday, two quick goals from Alexei Tereshchenko and Ilya Kovalchuk brought the Russians level.

And with almost three minutes into overtime and with Canadian Rick Nash in the penalty box for delaying the game, Kovalchuk clinched the game with a well-placed wrist shot over the shoulder of Canadian goalkeeper Cam Ward.

The Russian team had not lost a game on the way to the final and now equal Canada with 24 world titles. Canada hosted the championship for the first time in the 100-year history of the champions and was eager to win the trophy on home soil.

Last year at the championship held in Moscow, Russia was also desperate to win the title at home, but was beaten in the semifinal losing to Finland in overtime. The title eventually went to Canada, who beat the Finns in the final.

Speaking after the match in Quebec City, Alexei Morozov, the Russian captain, said the team had learnt the lessons from last year, but said it was difficult to play against the hosts in Canada.

“This championship was different from the one in Moscow [last year],” Morozov, who scored five goals during the championship, said. “But we have learnt the lesson and changed a lot.”

The Russian captain also said that an incident involving the Russian team bus, which was stopped by the Canadian police before the final, only stirred up the players.

“We were angry and it was unpleasant,” Morozov said. “But in the cloakroom we agreed to forget about the incident and to focus on the game to get results.”

While the Canadian team bus was permitted to stop by the main entrance of the Colisee Pepsi stadium, where the final was being held, to drop the players off, the Russian bus was stopped about a kilometer from the entrance and the team was told to walk the remaining distance.

Morozov also said he believed in Kovalchuk, who prior to the final had not scored a single goal, saying that “two or three days ago I told him [Kovalchuk] that he would decide everything in the ‘golden’ match.”

Russia’s head coach Vyacheslav Bykov, who captained the Russian team in 1993, the last time they won the World Championship, also praised Kovalchuk’s match winning goals.

“I am simply happy for Ilya [Kovalchuk],” said Bykov adding he hoped that the players would continue to get results at international level, including at the Winter Olympic Games in 2010, which will also be held in Canada.

And honors were also heaped on Russia’s goaltender Yevgeny Nabokov who was voted the best goalie of the Canadian World Championships.

The Russian team, which entered the championship in fifth place of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) ranking, is now ranked 2nd after Canada with just 10 points less (3400 against 3410).

On Saturday, four Russian players were named for the ice hockey Team of the Century announced by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF).

Goalie Vladislav Tretyak, defenseman Vyacheslav Fetisov and forwards Valery Kharlamov and Sergei Makarov, who played for the Soviet national team in the 1970s and the 1980s, were voted on to the team in a poll conducted by a group of 56 experts from 16 countries.

Medvedev signs decree on measures to counter corruption

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has signed a decree on measures to counter corruption, the Kremlin said on Monday.

The decree envisions the establishment of an anti-corruption council subordinate to the president.

Speaking on Monday during a presidential conference, Medvedev said it was necessary to draw up a national action plan to counter corruption, and appointed Kremlin chief of staff Sergei Naryshkin to head an interdepartmental anti-corruption working group. The Prosecutor’s General Office will coordinate its activity.

“We need a package of measures…we need a national anti-corruption program,” Medvedev said, singling out three major sectors.

First, he said, anti-corruption laws should be updated. Secondly, the national program should include measures to fight economic and social corruption, as well as preventive measures. Thirdly, Medvedev said, a mentality of anti-corruption needed to be encouraged in the country, and people needed to be educated on the legal aspects of the issue.

Medvedev, who was inaugurated as president on May 7, focused on corruption in his election speeches. He first voiced the idea of drafting a national anti-corruption program at an economic forum in Siberia’s Krasnoyarsk in mid-February.

Medvedev also announced in late February that a program would be ready within several months, and held a special conference in early April to discuss its organizational and legislative aspects.

According to research carried out by the Indem Foundation, led by Georgy Satarov, a former aide to Russia’s first president Boris Yeltsin, corruption in Russia annually deprives the national economy of at least $2.8 billion.