Saturday, September 30, 2017

So Much For That 'Russian Invasion' Many Were Predicting Last Month

© Sputnik/ Viktor Tolochko

VICE News: Russia’s giant military exercise wasn’t a cover for war after all

One of Russia’s biggest war games in years didn’t result in the “big invasion” a top NATO official had warned about, but there’s still suspicion in the West that the Zapad 2017 exercises involved more troops than Moscow let on.

Zapad, a Russian word that translates to “West,” took place in western Russia and Belarus from Sept. 14–20. NATO’s Military Committee Head General Petr Peval had said the exercises looked like “a serious preparation for [a] big war.” Russia said 12,700 military personnel were involved, though some Western estimates put that number at 100,000.

Read more ....

Update #1: Moscow denies Ukraine's accusation that it left troops in Belarus (Reuters)
Update #2: Russia Denies Ukraine Claim Troops Stayed in Belarus After Games (Bloomberg)

WNU Editor: Here is a look at today's Russian military .... S-400, New Cruise Missiles and More: How Russia's Military Is Back in a Big Way (Business Insider).

3 comments:

jimbrown said...

10 feet tall too.

RussInSoCal said...

I was predicting an invasion last October. That didn't happen either.

/so much for my career in geopolitical prognostication...

Anonymous said...

Nothing wrong being prudent about Russia. We were surprised often enough...just ask the Ukraine. .or before that Georgia. .or ask Poland. . Also. .I think it's worthwhile pointing out a logical flaw. Just because it didn't happen in the end doesn't mean it couldn't have happened. The increased media attention and readiness level of NATO might have influenced the outcome. Keep that in mind. And keep prudent about Russia. We're living through heightened tensions and have to be very cautious.