Breaking Confirmed: Russia deploys Iskanders in Kaliningrad; Berlin in range

Moscow confirms deployment of Iskander missiles on NATO borders
rt.com...

Lithuania seeks NATO advice after Russia deploys Iskander missiles in Kaliningrad voiceofrussia.com...

rt.com... German newspaper Bild wrote this weekend that Russia stationed several Iskander tactical ballistic missile systems - which are capable of carrying nuclear warheads - in its westernmost exclave of Kaliningrad, along the border with Baltic states. The paper said it obtained “secret satellite” images showing at least 10 Russian missiles close to the EU border, which were deployed over the past year.

Commenting on the matter, Moscow confirmed that it did station the missiles, which have been designated by NATO as SS-26 Stone, in the region.

“Rocket and artillery units of the Western Military District are really armed with Iskander tactical missile systems,” Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov, head of the Defense Ministry’s press service, told reporters on Monday.

“The concrete areas of the deployment of Iskander missile battalions in the Western Military District do not contradict any international agreements or treaties,” he added, as quoted by Interfax.

The Iskander is a truck-based theater ballistic missile system with a range of 400 kilometers, which translates into Berlin as its furthest western target if its missiles are fired from Kaliningrad. The Iskander’s warheads descend at supersonic speeds, which enables them to penetrate enemy missile defenses.
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Sounds kind of like old hat… And just that NATO is a little late to the party:

Commenting on the matter, Moscow confirmed that it did station the missiles, which have been designated by NATO as SS-26 Stone, in the region.

“Rocket and artillery units of the Western Military District are really armed with Iskander tactical missile systems,” Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov, head of the Defense Ministry’s press service, told reporters on Monday.

“The concrete areas of the deployment of Iskander missile battalions in the Western Military District do not contradict any international agreements or treaties,” he added, as quoted by Interfax.

“Everything works as planned there. I don’t know why the Germans are raising a scare now,” the source noted.

Russia is not going to ease its defense on European borders, where the western military alliance keeps its strategic missile forces, said deputy head of the State Duma’s defense committee, Viktor Zavarzin.

“NATO has American tactical nuclear weapons in Europe. Who can it be aimed against if not Iran? Only against us,” he told the daily. The official pointed out that Russian missiles do not pose a threat to anyone. Rather, they are solely for defensive purposes.

It will have repercussions. Perhaps new NATO missiles in Lithuania, and a new arms race. That is not isolated case. Putin restarted a number of arctic facilities and added new mobile ICBMs in the last week.

reply to post by 2012newstart


I think the best thing NATO should do in response is nothing. If Russia wants to deploy missiles in Russia so be it. Why throw time and effort into reacting. If a Nuclear exchange gets set off, There are plenty of Nukes on both sides to make sure everybody gets a fair share in the festivities.

I would imagine this has become a story now because of the Ukraine situation, Moscow will be looking to make some sort of demonstration of military strength.

reply to post by 2012newstart


Ehh...Big deal.
They are only playing the old game, what do the terrorist countries call it...
"we retain the right to defend ourselves".
Maybe the Russians see themselves as the master race as well.

reply to post by g146541

I would call it a big deal when you have missiles to hit Berlin and probably farther in less than 5 minutes. Notice the range of 500 km is not technological, it is maintained by the treaty of 1980s of indermediate missiles. No other country than USSR/Russia and USA has signed it and all of them have intermediate missiles. Moreover, the US nuke bombs in EU are carried by jets not by missiles. In other words, Putin may want to target Ramstein base n Germany, as well as a couple of others in Netherlands, Italy, and also Great Britain that is nuclear power itself. Does Putin indeed prepare to attack Europe, with tactical nukes?

The northern bases are yet another issue. You remember Putin restored long range aviation fights along the US/Canadian arctic borders. But those flights take off from Southern Russia, are outdated planes in most cases and easily to detect. It would be different if all that long way is shortened with starting point an arctic island. We may only wonder where that all will end up. WW3? At this point it seems unlikely, but you never know what tomorrow will bring.

The way I see it, is that Russia is tired of Nato and the United States being the only ones "allowed" to place missiles on others borders. So Russia is doing nothing more than telling them, "We can play that game too". Russia and the U.S. might not be the best of friends, but they're not enemies either. So I doubt we have to worry about either side doing anything to the other. Might be some schoolyard posturing here and there just to show off their muscles, but that's as far as it'll go in my opinion.

Say what you will about Putin, but I don't feel like he's a war monger. But he doesn't want to be caught with his pants down should something happen either.

Now if you really want to talk about a potential attack on Europe / US, I'd look at Kim Jong Un. He's probably one of the most insane people the world has faced, and he has absolutely no regard for the safety of his citizens, family and could care less what anyone else thinks of his actions or planned military tests. And although Russia is friendly with the N. Koreans, I doubt he'd want to help them start a war and have even joined in on signing sanctions against them.

reply to post by Auricom

I agree much of it. There are uncertain moments and rulers such as Kim, and also China-Japan. Putin/Russia prepare for all eventualities, including the possibility of China - Russian war. The last biggest drill in decades was on the Chinese border. I think the current status quo and relative peace won't endure for too long. But who will be with whom and what will be the outcome is hard to foresee. Perhaps, USA and Russia will be on one side, as in 2 world wars?

​‘Nuclear train’ back on track as Russia mulls reviving roving missiles rt.com...

Russia has started building storages for more than 100 Bulava missiles some 120 kilometers from the border to Norway. barentsobserver.com...

Russia is reconstructing abandoned Soviet airfields all over the Arctic, including in the Franz Josef Land, the Novaya Zemlya and New Siberian Islands. barentsobserver.com...

Russia of course wants to flex hoping in some way to regain the stature it once had as a great power. Most likely this is how Europe will see it and they will not do much about it. However, this could also end up biting the Russians in the behind if the Europeans take it seriously. Europe has been cuting spending on defense for over a decade because they see no real threat from Russia, the EU has about 5 million troops to call upon not counting non EU NATO members like the US, Turkey, Canada and Norway. All told between NATO and the EU your looking at about number around 9 million. If the Europeans take Russia as a real threat they will begin a military expansion and Russia already out manned and out gunned will be even worse off. Russia actions as of late have also pushed both Finland and Sweden into NATO in all but name. The chance of losing Ukraine has really shaken the Russians. Sooner or later they are going to end either working with Europe or becoming Europes backwater. China and Russia ill concieved military posturing could lead to both Japan and Germany retaking their chairs as military powers and that could be a bad idea.

SLAYER69
reply to post by 2012newstart

 

I think the best thing NATO should do in response is nothing. If Russia wants to deploy missiles in Russia so be it. Why throw time and effort into reacting. If a Nuclear exchange gets set off, There are plenty of Nukes on both sides to make sure everybody gets a fair share in the festivities.

Well we already have missiles in place in the nato nations that can hit anywhere in Russia. What we will do is move around missile defense systems. We can hit these missiles although once they reach apex it becomes much harder. Putrid just trying to show he is still relevant lol.

The Bot

You speak of ICBMs. USA also puts Patriots. Don't know if it can be used as attack missile. The US nukes in Europe are no more on the old missiles like Pershing. They are gravity bombs that are carried by jet fighters or bombers. I might be wrong. It is surely the case of Turkey - 90 H gravity bombs outdated. France has missiles, so is England. But those are nuclear powers and Russia will have to have separate strategy with each of them. Will Russia attack those 2-class nuclear powers or will let them neutral. I doubt France will defend Germany or Poland if they are attacked by Russia. No matter NATO obligations. Only USA could help them.

Iskanders are tactical and much faster. That is their danger, as the old Pershings and SS23. Scrapped by treaty as medium range missiles. btw tactical nukes are not accounted by any treaty. USA scrapped them. I don't know, tomahawks could be nuclear armed. But they are subsonic.

The new US initiative of a global strike capability is something new, includes faster rockets, and something Rogozin warned about (3rd in rank).

I think Russia prepares for a nuclear war, not conventional. And frankly, Europeans are very far from any idea or spirit of resistance by arms. Even conventional tanks will cross Europe, probably with a promise they are just crossing not invading. Europeans think democracy will resist. French revolution mode. May be it will work - revolution and welcome the liberators. They won't be nuked in that way. They do not think in the terms of pre-WW2 anymore. Not even the Germans. See the new generation that only wants to enjoy life in doubtful ways. No serious armies either. One may say, Europe already lost the war to Russia and will refuse to fight it even if being invaded.

Other scenarios exist though. As what if Russia - China clash instead.

The worst scenario is the big war will make on earth nuclear winter. Then only underground facilities will survive. There are such, don't know how many millions will be survivors but there will be. In that way, parts of Europe might be prepared.

He-he-he..))

besides, this is a respond to NATO keeping in development deploying anti missiles sites in Poland, in close proximity to Russia borders. US stated that these missiles are a must to protect Europe from Iran hypothetical nuclear weapon threat. Now, that things with Iran were settled, USA could not answer why those sites in Poland are in progress.

Who still doubds USA doctrine to surround Russia is in play and happily going? Its just explaining it to liberal crowd becomes more difficult.


cheers

I bet NATO will answer by stationing bases in Lithuania, probably with F-18 or better. May be Patriots too. That will anger Russia further.

Belarus is the next step for Russia. It already got approval from Lukashenko to make a brand new air base, Currently Russian jets use one Belorussian base. Belarus is worse than Kaliningrad, it is closer to the Western bases. Iskanders were considered for Belarus.
What will happen in Ukraine nobody knows. That might be a factor too.

I don't see any German or French mobilization and they won't happen. The millions of armies spoken of are non existent in real case scenario. Only the hi-tech bases and airplanes are the real danger for the Russian growing assertiveness in East-Central Europe. (Russia is also Europe up to Urals).

New NATO bases in Romania in exchange of Tajikistan may be a powerful push on the Southern edge. You have also Turkey with 0 US nuclear bombs including H bombs, that are outdated indeed but could be modernized any time or loaded into a modern jet fighter or even stealth. Turkey practically borders post-Soviet space of Russia thru its ally Armenia. Should a massive war starts, Armenia has stationed one Russian army ready to act in the region of Eastern Turkish border. Taking into account those territories historically were populated by Armenians, that might happen to be the convenient motivation for starting hostilities.

Let alone Poland itself. Russian officials warned they could take out the Polish PAK in preemptive attack (didn't specify nuclear or conventional, perhaps conventional) IF the world situation deteriorates and goes towards a war. That was pretty serious warning. Indeed Poland is on the way of Russia to the Central-West Europe and could expect to be the first hit. If there is some repetition of WW2.

Of course in the nuclear era any unbelievable scenario may become the real case scenario. You have missiles that can circumvent the globe in a matter of minutes. Let alone space weapons. Alaska being hit first? Don't know. I think Russia will try to stay neutral as long as possible and let others fight. Before the crucial moment there should be a withdrawal of massive portions of populations from the major cities, especially Moscow. Moscow and Leningrad Peterburg host alone 1/10 of the Russian population and it is easier to be evacuated via underground vast network of civil and military use of metro subway. Those networks are said to reach South and East regions and underground bases-cities in Urals. Known as Metro-2 to exist for VIP persons from Kremlin. This is outdated information. We don't know how far all those projects have reached for all those decades of "peaceful development". Should Moscow's people disappear from the streets, be ready for the worst case scenario.

Putin surprisingly denounced the news there are Iskanders in Kaliningrad, speaking at his annual press conference. I don't know what to say. Mixed signals and delusion.