Russia bomber flights 'permanent' - CNN.com

CHEBARKUL, Russia (Reuters) -- President Vladimir Putin said Russia sent 14 bomber aircraft on patrols far beyond its own territory on Friday, marking the permanent return to a Soviet-era practice. A Russian startegic bomber flies over an airfield outside Moscow during an air show. Putin said the resumption of flights was a response to security threats posed by other military powers.

"We have decided to restore flights by Russian strategic aviation on a permanent basis," Putin told reporters at joint military exercises with China and four Central Asian states in Russia's Ural mountains. "Today, August 17 at 00:00 hours, 14 strategic bombers took to the air from seven airfields across the country, along with support and refueling aircraft. In 1992, Russia unilaterally ended flights by its strategic aircraft to distant military patrol areas. Unfortunately, our example was not followed by everyone. Flights by other countries' strategic aircraft continue and this creates certain problems for ensuring the security of the Russian Federation," Putin said.

Earlier this month Russian air force generals said bomber crews had flown near the Pacific island of Guam, where the U.S. military has a base, forcing U.S. aircraft to scramble into the air to track them. The Pentagon said the Russian aircraft had not come close enough to U.S. ships to prompt American aircraft to react.

Many observers said the sorties -- which had been stopped due to funding shortages in the Russian military -- were a sign of Russia's growing assertiveness

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American by birth, TEXAN by the grace of GOD!

Who says Putin will retire soon....no way, man!

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Agreed. I believe that was written on the wall a long time ago.

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American by birth, TEXAN by the grace of GOD!

Wake me up when they do another flight this magnitude.

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Is that because Russia cannot afford another or is it because of media over-reaction?

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American by birth, TEXAN by the grace of GOD!

Both. By the way, the USAF has ever flown flies constant ELINT snooping patrols along Russia's borders, bar the time when the old SAC had their B-52s nuke loaded flying loops over the Artic. The US has bases in Turkmenistan, Romania and other pre Iron Curtain countries. How many Soviet Gary Powers had to be shot down over US territory? How many Mig-25Rs flew over the US as opposed to SR-71s?~

Now suddenly the media panics because Russian sends a one off flight of prop planes designed 50 years ago near some way off island over international waters? You're joking, right?



Jeez, they are only able to budget a couple dozen new planes and 31 new tanks (yes, 31, an entire batallion's worth!) per year.



Now if you want to watch someone, watch China. They building up an entire new armed forces, crammed with as much technology as they can muster. And they have plenty of space nearby to flex their muscles. But in any case it woll be decades before they can even dream of menacing the 400-pound gorilla USA.

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Actually we´ve been, I think, against many things the US has done, Za. So I think being against everything that could make the cold war theme rise again is good. Putin does not care or does he Za? He wants to show the people 1. He is the master in the house 2. He can make Russia a "big" nation like the USSR was. If he used the money really for the good of the people in his country he could buy bread for instance. Or if there is bread in St petersburg he could send it to Russian Karelia´s little towns where bread car visits once a week...

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Frankly I don't really understand what you mean here, maybe if you could rephrase...

Well, Kai, it looks like Russia will always be Russia, don't you think?

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This site seems quite interesting:
★★★ Russian Arms, Military Technology, Analysis of Russia's Military Forces?

The 31 tank thing intrigues me, as several sources recently have been referring to the ongoing (and rapid) process of replacing the vast & elderly wheeled fleet.
I suppose with so much expenditure going on generally and the stratospheric price of truly modern MBT's there could be a need for some caution. Things seem better for the average tanker though, as at least the vehicles they do have seem to be largely in running order now, something that did not appear to be the case through most of the 90's.

(That Bear's a lovely old thing, once had to learn how to ID it and it's contemporaries from those Sillhouette cards... always found it near impossible )

Cheers,
Adam.

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It's only the Internet.

If you are implying that Putin will stay in office for a third term, I am going to have to respectfully disagree... As Russia also has a constituation and this move would be unconstitutional, unless ofcourse the constitution itself would be re-written.

If this is an implication of Putin's attempt at making Russia stronger, then im going to have to ask the question, dont all leader's want to show their people who the boss is and try to make their country stronger?

This sounds like a low blow.... I have visited the country several times now and from what the locals tell me life is constantly improving under Putin's regime and not just in cities like Moscow or St. Petersburg, but in cities like Perm, Kursk, Sverdlovsk, Rostov etc. When I was there a year in a half ago, I saw no empty shelves in grocery stores ( plenty or bread ) nor did I see empty department stores... I did however see prices which seemed to be higher then what an average Russian might be able to afford, but even this is changing ( according to the locals ) as their salaries are slowly on the rise.

Russian without a doubt has its share of problems and short comings, but I think its heading in the right direction. Especially taking into consideration of how quickly a country which 17 years earlier was on the verge of total collapse is bouncing back according to western politicians. There is only one idividual who deserves credit for that.

~The CIA overly optimistic about Russia's future.......~

"In the next decade, Russia may break up into six to eight different states." That, at least, is the view of CIA analysts to be found in a report available on the intelligence agency's web site. In world history, countries that suffer from systemic internal disorder inevitably become the victims of conquest. And not even nuclear weapons can guarantee the territorial integrity of a country, just as a car alarms don't always protect against theft.

A country without an army is in trouble, and Russia's army showed its true colors in Chechnya: It's adept at plundering but no good at fighting. In this high-tech age, only professional armies can get the job done; mass conscript armies are as obsolete as cavalry armies were in World War II.

Something tells me that this analyst is disappointed


Oh yea, I wouldnt be too worried about the 40 old dinosours flying around either, I doubt that they are a threat to democracy all over the world

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The war against Russia will be such that it cannot be conducted in a knightly fashion. This struggle is one of ideologies and racial differences and will have to be conducted with unprecedented, unmerciful and unrelenting harshness. -Adolf Hitler

The Bear is a great aircraft and it is in the same age range as the B-52. The turbo prop engines give it great low level range and given stand off weapons it would be a real threat to the US fleet.

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Work Harder ! Millions on welfare are depending on you.

Yes, TA you are absolutely correct, I was being a little sarcastic, but the point that I was trying to make is that this is more of a political statement and they will not be attacking anyone..... at least not first

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The war against Russia will be such that it cannot be conducted in a knightly fashion. This struggle is one of ideologies and racial differences and will have to be conducted with unprecedented, unmerciful and unrelenting harshness. -Adolf Hitler

Surprise surprise...." I just love the smell of "old times politics"....and no opposition either...

Sergei Mironov, speaker of Russia’s upper house, said the issue of a third term for Mr Putin had “not been taken off the agenda” in spite of a constitutional bar on presidents serving more than two consecutive terms.

“In my view, Mr Putin legitimately remaining in his post would be a blessing for Russia,” Mr Mironov said.

“Spontaneous rallies are going on in the country with calls for Vladimir Putin to stay in his post and we as legislators . . . should think how we can legitimately *submit this issue at least for examination by the *president.”

At least five cities staged rallies this week calling for the president to stay on, with more reportedly planning to do so and several regional legislatures planning to issue similar calls.
The Russian government newspaper last week published a letter claiming to represent 65,000 Russian artists, which pleaded for Mr Putin to remain in office.


Russia - NEWSPAPER: PUTIN'S ENTOURAGE SEES NO ALTERNATIVE TO A THIRD TERM - JRL 11-16-07

Most Russians Want Putin to Stay for Third Term | Russian Spy, World and Russian News

FT.com / World - Momentum grows for Putin third term

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Where've I seen that term before?

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Best Regards,
JW

Stingers, Fighters and a MAU for table two please!

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'We march. The enemy is retreating in transport. We follow on foot.' Lt.Neil McCallum 5/7 Gordons 19th November 1942

But Mr. Mironov, is the majority speaker from the other party. He does not represent United Russia. He is the other alternetive.

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The war against Russia will be such that it cannot be conducted in a knightly fashion. This struggle is one of ideologies and racial differences and will have to be conducted with unprecedented, unmerciful and unrelenting harshness. -Adolf Hitler

Is anybody saying against Mr Mironov? No, so I guess they are agreeing with him, right?

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Well, since he is the other party alternetive and the United Russia is the other we now have two. Can we think of other countries where there are only two real alternetives?

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The war against Russia will be such that it cannot be conducted in a knightly fashion. This struggle is one of ideologies and racial differences and will have to be conducted with unprecedented, unmerciful and unrelenting harshness. -Adolf Hitler