Russian Defense Minister Shoigu Says Moscow Will Create New Western Military Bases In Response To Sweden And Finland Joining NATO

Russian President Vladimir Putin (left) and Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu (file photo)  

RFE: Shoigu Says Russia To Strengthen Its Western Defenses In Response To NATO Growth 

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu says Moscow will create new military bases in its western regions and form 12 new units and divisions in response to Sweden and Finland's move to join the NATO military alliance. 

"Tension continues to grow in the zone of responsibility of the Western Military District. We are taking adequate countermeasures," Shoigu said at a meeting in televised remarks. 

"By the end of the year, 12 military units and divisions will be established in there," Shoigu said, adding that the army expects to receive more than 2,000 units of military equipment and weapons.  

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Russian Defense Minister Shoigu Says Moscow Will Create New Western Military Bases In Response To Sweden And Finland Joining NATO  

Russian defense chief unveils plans for Western Military District to counter NATO buildup -- TASS  

Russia warns of mounting threats to its security -- RT  

Russia to build '12 new military bases in the west' in response to NATO expansion -- Euronews  

Russia to bulk up military on western borders amid NATO moves, Ukraine war -- FOX News  

Russia vows ‘countermeasures’ as NATO looks set to expand -- Al Jazeera  

New military bases in western Russia in response to NATO expansion: Defense minister -- AFP  

Russia vows ‘countermeasures’ as NATO looks set to expand -- Al Jazeera

Former Russian President Medvedev Says The West Is Risking ‘Fully Fledged Nuclear War’

Putin (left) confers with Medvedev (right) at his famous Kremlin desk in January 2020, days before Medvedev relinquished the premiership and joined the President's Security Council  

Daily Mail: Russia's former president Dmitry Medvedev says the West is risking ‘fully fledged nuclear war’ between Moscow and NATO by ‘pumping weapons into Ukraine’ 

* Putin lackey Dmitry Medvedev: NATO help may spark 'full-fledged nuclear war' 

* Security Council vice-chair said 'direct and open conflict' with West remains risk 

* NATO must stop 'pumping weapons into Ukraine', he wrote in fiery Telegram 

* He also accused Western nations of 'sending in mercenaries' to fight for Ukraine 

* Ex-President and PM slammed European leaders 'squeaking their little voices' 

* 'The thesis that Russia frightens the world with nuclear conflict is being pushed' 

* Medvedev's statement follows news neutral neighbour Finland will join NATO 

* And Japan's PM said war 'shakes the core of international order, including Asia' 

NATO military support for Ukraine risks sparking nuclear war with Russia, Putin ally and ex-president Dmitry Medvedev warned. 

In a fiery post to nearly one million Telegram users this morning, Medvedev wrote: 'NATO countries pumping weapons into Ukraine, training troops to use western equipment, sending in mercenaries and the exercises of alliance countries near our borders increase the likelihood of a direct and open conflict between NATO and Russia. 

'Such a conflict always has the risk of turning into a full-fledged nuclear war.'  

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Former Russian President Medvedev Says The West Is Risking ‘Fully Fledged Nuclear War’  

West's support for Ukraine risks 'full-scale nuclear war,' top Russian official warns -- CBC/AP  

Medvedev: NATO's involvement in Russia-Ukraine conflict brings risk of 'full-fledged nuclear war' -- FOX News  

Russia warns West over risk of conflict with NATO -- Reuters  

Medvedev says there is a risk of nuclear war between Russia and NATO -- Pravda

Russia Is Now Blaming NATO For The Sinking Of The Moskva

The Dispatch: Russia Decides to Blame NATO for Sinking the Moskva 

This kind of messaging could be used to pre-justify any activities Russia might take against NATO countries. 

Late last Wednesday night or early Thursday morning, two Ukrainian R-360 Neptune anti-ship missiles struck the Moskva, an Atlant-class cruiser that was the flagship of Russia’s Black Sea fleet. The ship eventually sank because of the damage. There are still numerous conflicting reports about exactly what happened: whether Ukraine distracted the Moskva with drones before attacking it with missiles, questions about how many of the crew died and the circumstances of the final sinking, etc. What is crystal clear is that the Moskva is at the bottom of the Black Sea, that the Ukrainians put it there, and therefore that Russia has suffered an embarrassing naval defeat against a country that, in effect, no longer has a fleet. The reaction of some Russian propagandists to the sinking also provides an interesting example of how they are increasingly blaming Russia’s military failures on NATO, rather than on Ukrainian resistance.  

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Update: Russia Blames NATO For Prolonging War In Ukraine; Targets Member Countries For Arms Supply (Republic World)  

WNU Editor: I know among my family and friends in Russia, most believe the country is already at war with NATO with Ukraine being used as a proxy in this conflict.

NATO Continues To Probe Russian Air Defenses

A B-52 refuels over Europe in August or September 2020. U.S. Air Force

Forbes: Five NATO Spy Planes Converge As U.S. Air Force B-52s Spring Their Biggest Intel Trap Yet

The six U.S. Air Force B-52s that deployed from Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota to the Royal Air Force base at Fairford back in August have set another intelligence trap for Russian forces in the Black Sea region—possibly their biggest yet.

On Wednesday, one of the eight-engine bombers—call sign “Hero 31”—winged over the Black Sea near the Ukrainian and Romanian coasts, briefly joining up with Ukrainian air force MiG-29 and Su-27 fighters.

The bomber reportedly made a mock attack run on the Ukrainian city of Odessa before turning toward Romania. “Our team from @TeamMinot has been busy!” U.S. Strategic Command tweeted on Wednesday.

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WNU Editor: The Russian Air Force know what is happening .... Russian Su-27 fighters scramble to intercept US B-52N bombers over Black Sea (TASS).

Russian Fighter Jet Flew Into Danish Territory After Intercepting B-52 Bomber Over The Baltic Sea

A map showing Bornholm Island in the Baltic Sea, as well as Russia's Kaliningrad enclave to the east. Google Maps

Warzone/The Drive: Russian Su-27 Flew Into Danish Territory After Intercepting B-52 Bomber Over The Baltic Sea

The incident took place on the same day another Flanker performed an unsafe maneuver very close to a B-52 flying over the Black Sea.

NATO says that a Russian Su-27 Flanker fighter jet committed a "significant violation" of Danish airspace while intercepting a U.S. Air Force B-52H Stratofortress in the Baltic Sea region last week. The incident occurred as six of these heavy bombers, including four from a detachment presently forward-deployed in the United Kingdom, were conducting overflights of all 30 members of the Alliance, including the United States and Canada. Over the weekend, the Pentagon released video showing another Flanker turning directly in front of one of a B-52 that was taking part in this unprecedented mission as it flew over the Black Sea, which The War Zone previously reported on.

NATO's Allied Air Command says that the Su-27, operating from Russia's Kaliningrad enclave on the Baltic Sea, intercepted the B-52 as it was approaching Denmark's Bornholm Island on Aug. 28, 2020. Rather than turning back, the command says the Flanker followed the bomber "well into Danish airspace over the island," resulting in a serious breach "of airspace of a NATO nation."

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WNU Editor: That Russian fighter jet was far from where they usually operate. It looks like they were sending a message.

Dramatic Moment Russian Fighter Jets Intercept U.S. Military Aircraft Over The Baltic Sea (Video)

Daily Mail: Dramatic moment Russian fighter jets intercept U.S. military aircraft over the Baltic Sea - weeks after an American spy plane was 'buzzed' by SU-35s over the Mediterranean

* American military aircraft were spotted above the Baltic Sea
* Russian jets can be seen approaching what appears to be an American B-52 bomber and a Lockheed P3 Orion aircraft
* Russian jets fly close to either side of US military aircraft in the footage

This is the dramatic moment American military aircraft are intercepted by Russian fighter jets over the Baltic Sea.

Russian jets can be seen approaching what appears to be an American B-52 bomber and a Lockheed P3 Orion aircraft in the skies above neutral waters of the Baltic Sea on Monday.

An official statement from the Russian Ministry of Defence said: 'The air defence duty personnel of the Western Military District revealed the actions of the US Air Force B-52H strategic bombers and foreign reconnaissance aircraft over the neutral waters of the Baltic Sea and they were escorted by Russian fighters.'

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Update #1: Russia’s Su-27 fighters scrambled to intercept US bombers over Baltic Sea (TASS)
Update #2: WATCH Russian jets ‘intercept’ US strategic bombers over Baltic Sea (RT)

WNU Editor: These videos are always impressive.

NATO Says It Has Intercepted 300 Russian Aircraft Over European Airspace In 2019

NATO jets were scrambled earlier this week to respond to Russian aircraft, including two Tu-22 strategic bombers. (file photo)

Radio Free Europe: NATO Official Says Jets Intercepted Russian Aircraft In European Airspace Nearly 300 Times In 2019

NATO jets intercepted Russian planes flying close to NATO airspace nearly 300 times in 2019, an alliance official said, amid a continuing upward trend of Russian and NATO aircraft encounters.

The official, who spoke on condition he not be named, told RFE/RL’s Bulgarian Service that Russian military aircraft activity in the Black Sea and other parts of Europe had increased since 2014.

"In 2019, allied aircraft took to skies 290 times to escort or shadow Russian military aircraft all across Europe," the official said in an e-mail on May 23.

He did not immediately respond to follow-up questions about encounters in past years.

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WNU Editor: 290 interceptions. That all?

Two Russian Su-27s Escort Belgian F-16 Fighter Jet Flying Near Russia's Border In The Baltic Sea

RT: Two Su-27s follow Belgian F-16 fighter jet flying near Russia's border in the Baltic Sea (VIDEO)

A pair of Russian Su-27 fighter jets were quickly taken off a routine training flight to escort a Belgian warplane approaching the state border.

On Friday, the Russian military had spotted a Belgian F-16, which was heading towards the nation's border over the Baltic Sea. Two Su-27 fighter aircraft that were flying a training mission in the area were immediately sent to identify the foreign plane.

A cockpit video from one of the Russian jets shows how the Su-27s were maneuvering near the Belgian aircraft until it was escorted away from the country's border.

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WNU Editor: I like how they boxed in this Belgium F-16. He definitely got the message to leave.

Britain Floated NATO Membership For Russia In 1995

First Russian President Boris Yeltsin

Daily Mail: Secret plan to bring Russia in from the cold and make it an 'associate member' of Nato in the 1990s was dismissed as 'farcical' by MPs, memo reveals

* Cabinet held foreign policy discussion on the subject at Chequers in 1995
* Defence secretary Malcolm Rifkind's department said 'integrating Russia into the Western family...' was 'the most difficult problem we face'
* Russia couldn't have full membership and military commitment that went with it
Possible solution was to 'create a new category of associate member' - giving Russia the status to attend meetings

Russia could have been made an 'associate member' of Nato to bring it back into the fold after the Cold War, declassified files reveal.

A discussion of foreign policy at Chequers – the prime minister's countryside retreat – reveals that the prospect was considered by the Cabinet in 1995.

Defence secretary Malcolm Rifkind's department said that 'integrating Russia into the Western family of nations in a realistic and sensitive way' was 'the most difficult problem we face'.

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WNU Editor:  Russia would not have accepted such a proposal. Even if it was serious. Call it pride.

More News On Britain Floating NATO Membership For Russia In 1995

MoD proposed Russian membership of Nato in 1995, files reveal -- The Guardian
National archives: Officials floated 'farcical' idea of Russia joining Nato -- BBC
Secret documents from 1990s reveal ‘farcical’ plans to allow Russia to join Nato -- The Independent
Britain Floated NATO Membership for Russia, Archives Reveal -- Moscow Times
UK Mulled Offering Russia Spot in NATO to Aid Alliance's Expansion to East -- Sputnik

NATO Rejects Russian President Putin’s Missile Moratorium Offer For Europe

Image via US Department of Defense/Defense One

Moscow Times: NATO Rejects Putin’s Missile Moratorium Offer

NATO has rejected Russian President Vladimir Putin’s calls to suspend deployment of missiles in Europe that were banned under a recently abandoned U.S.-Russian nuclear pact.

The Kommersant business daily reported and the Kremlin confirmed Putin’s offer, which came amid concerns that Russia and the U.S. are headed toward an arms race after Washington exited the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) pact last month. The INF pact’s demise means both Washington and Moscow are legally free to develop and deploy ground-launched nuclear and conventional ballistic and cruise missiles.

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Update #1: NATO denies Russia request to bar missiles in Europe (UPI)
Update #2: NATO Rejects Putin's Request To Ban Missile Deployments In Europe (Zero Hedge)

WNU Editor: Laying the groundwork for the next arms race.

Russia Is About To Get A Closer Look At The F-35 Stealth Fighter

David Axe, National Interest: Russia is About to Get A Close Look at the F-35 Stealth Fighter

The trillion-dollar plane is getting into the air-policing game. Moscow won't like that.

Italy has become the first country to deploy F-35 stealth fighters for NATO’s air-policing missions.

Italian F-35As belonging to the Italian air force’s 13° Gruppo, 32° Stormo are on track to take over the air-policing mission in Iceland, David Cenciotti reported at The Aviationist on Sept. 25, 2019.

“The Italian aircraft, that have already deployed to Keflavik International Airport, from their homebase at Amendola air base in southeastern Italy, will start flying familiarisation sorties in the next few days,” Cenciotti wrote. “After achieving the NATO certification they will start quick-reaction alert duties.”

“The F-35s, were accompanied by a KC-767A tanker, a C-130J and a P-72A maritime patrol aircraft,” Cenciotti added, citing data from flight-tracking websites.

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WNU Editor: They are going to see it. But close .... hmmm .... not sure.

Watch NATO Jets Shadowing A Russian Tu-160 bomber Over The Baltic Sea

RT: WATCH NATO jets shadowing Russian nuke-capable bomber over Baltic Sea

Russian airmen have filmed a swarm of Belgian, Danish, Polish and Swedish fighter jets flanking a Tu-160 Blackjack bomber and its escort while on routine patrol over the Baltic Sea.

Released by the Defense Ministry on Wednesday, the spectacular footage shows the supersonic Tupolev Tu-160 bomber taking off from an undisclosed airfield and heading for the Baltic airspace.

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WNU Editor: The NATO jets kept their distance, and they were armed.

Watch Russian Fighter Jet Chase A NATO F-18 Fighter Jet Away From Russian Defence Minister's Plane

TASS: Russian jets force NATO’s F-18 away from Shoigu’s plane over Baltic Sea

NATO jets approached Russian aircraft to identify it, according to a NATO official

MOSCOW, August 13. /TASS/. NATO’s F-18 jet tried to approach the plane of Russia’s Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu over the international waters of the Baltic Sea only to be forced away by Russia’s Sukhoi-27 fighters, a TASS correspondent reported from onboard the Russian defense minister’s plane.

Shoigu’s plane was on the way from Kaliningrad to Moscow with an escort of two Sukhoi-27s of the Baltic Fleet. NATO’s F-18 tried to approach it over the international waters of the Baltic Sea but Russian fighters forced the jet away.

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More News On A Russian Fighter Jet Chasing A NATO F-18 Fighter Jet Away From Russian Defence Minister's Plane

NATO F-18 Fighter Jet Chased Away From Russian Defence Minister's Plane Over Baltic Sea - MoD -- Sputnik
Moscow claims its fighter jets have seen off a NATO war plane which got 'almost within touching distance' of Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu's aircraft over international waters in the Baltic Sea -- Daily Mail
Russian jet chases NATO plane away from defense minister's aircraft: TASS -- Reuters
A Russian Su-27 fighter jet shooed a NATO fighter away from a plane carrying Russia's defense minister -- Business Insider
Russia Says Its Jets Drove Off NATO Warplane -- RFE
NATO jet chased off by aircraft escorting Russian defense minister's plane, Moscow says -- The Hill

NATO Gives Russia 5 Weeks To Destroy Missiles Violating INF Treaty

Stoltenberg (pictured centre at a military exercise) insisted that NATO did not want an 'arms race' (AFP Photo/Jonathan NACKSTRAND)

Daily Mail: 'We will respond': NATO warns Russia to destroy a new nuclear missile or face consequences after the Kremlin warned of repeat of Cuban crisis and sent warship to Havana

* NATO has warned Russia to destroy its nuclear missile in breach of 1987 treaty
* Washington and Kremlin are involved in face-off over the new nuclear system
* NATO said today, 'We will need to respond,' unless Russia disarm the weapon
* On Monday, the Russian navy arrived at Havana with echoes of the missile crisis

NATO has warned Russia to destroy a new nuclear missile or face the consequences after the Kremlin warned of a repeat of the Cuban crisis and sent a ship to Havana.

Allied defence ministers issued the stark warning to the Kremlin today amid a Moscow face-off with Washington over a treaty keeping land-based nuclear warheads out of Europe.

The U.S. has said they will pull out of the Reagan-era Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) unless Russia destroys its nuclear-capable cruise missile system.

On Monday, the Kremlin warned of a Cuban Missile Crisis-style confrontation as one of its frigates arrived in Havana.

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WNU Editor: Here is an easy prediction .... Russia is not going to comply.

Update: Yup .... they are not going to comply .... Russian MP brands NATO chief ‘irresponsible babbler’ over ‘Russian INF non-compliance’ claim (RT).

More News On NATO Giving Russia 5 Weeks To Destroy Missiles Violating INF Treaty

NATO says it will act unless Russia destroys nuclear-ready missile -- CNBC
NATO gives Russia 5 weeks to destroy missiles violating INF Treaty -- UPI
NATO chief threatens response if Russia doesn’t comply with nuclear treaty -- Defense News
NATO prepares 'defensive' response to Russia arms treaty breach -- AFP

Russian, NATO Generals Meet In Baku, Azerbaijan

The chief of the General Staff of the Russian armed forces, General Valery Gerasimov, meets with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in Baku.

VOA/Reuters: Russian, NATO Generals Hold Rare Face-to-Face Meeting

MOSCOW / BRUSSELS — The head of Russia's military general staff and NATO's supreme allied commander held a rare face-to-face meeting Thursday to try to ease the worst East-West tensions since the Cold War.

U.S. Army General Curtis Scaparrotti and Valery Gerasimov met in Baku, Azerbaijan, less than a week after the United States, Britain and France staged missile strikes on Syria in retaliation for a suspected chemical weapons attack by the forces of President Bashar al-Assad, a close ally of Russia.

In separate statements, NATO and the Russian defense ministry said the participants discussed military exercises and troop movements. Each side has accused the other of risky deployments in the Baltic states and Eastern Europe.

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Update: Top Russian, NATO Generals Discuss Syria, Europe In Baku (RFE)

WNU Editor: Duh!!! .... Military expert: Baku meeting of Russian, NATO generals aimed at preventing ‘threat of a third world war’ (APA).

Top NATO And Russian Generals To Meet In Baku On Preventing Military Incidents

RFE: Top Russian, NATO Generals Discuss Syria, Europe In Baku

Valery Gerasimov, the chief of Russia's military General Staff, and NATO Supreme Allied Commander Curtis Scaparrotti have met in Azerbaijan to discuss Syria, Russian news agencies report, citing the Russian Defense Ministry.

Gerasimov arrived in Baku ahead of the April 19 meeting that was also expected to discuss NATO and Russian military activity in Europe.

The two discussed issues related to NATO's and Russia's military activities in Europe, confidence-building measures and incident prevention, the ministry was quoted as saying.

The meeting was the first between Gerasimov and Scaparrotti since 2013.

The ministry said that while in Baku, Gerasimov was also received by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.

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Update #1: Top Russian, NATO military officials to discuss Syria (TASS)
Update #2: Top Russian, NATO generals choose Baku for talks on preventing military incidents (Euractiv)

WNU Editor: Syria, Ukraine, jets buzzing the military forces on the other side. I suspect that these talks are going to list some boundaries on what will be permissible, and what will not.

Reaction To Russian President Putin's Speech On Russia's New Weapons

DW: NATO joins Angela Merkel and Donald Trump to voice concern about Putin's 'invincible' weapons

A speech by President Vladimir Putin detailing new nuclear weapons in Russia's arsenal has raised fears of a new arms race. NATO has joined Merkel and Trump in voicing concern about the impact of Putin's words.

NATO has joined Germany and the US in condemning recent claims by Russian President Vladimir Putin that his country has developed a new, "invincible" nuclear weapon.

On Friday, NATO Spokeswoman Oana Lungescu said: "Russian statements threatening to target allies are unacceptable and counterproductive." She also reiterated the fact that the alliance would remain vigilant in using its military forces to deter foreign aggression directed at alliance members.

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WNU Editor: The Kremlin has responded to U.S. and NATO reactions .... basically saying that they have not broken any arms-control agreements .... Russia denies it broke arms laws with Sarmat nuclear missile (UPI). More here .... Kremlin rejects US charge Russia in breach of arms control treaties (Reuters).

Update: Western media accuses Putin of ‘starting new arms race’ after ‘terrifying’ nuclear missile ‘boasts’ (RT)

More Reaction To Russian President Putin's Speech On Russia's New Weapons

Merkel, Trump Voice Concern Over Putin's New Weapons Claims -- Radio Free Europe
NATO reacts to Putin's bellicose speech: 'We do not want a new Cold War' -- Globe and Mail/Reuters
NATO: Russia's nuclear threats are unacceptable -- Axios
Putin nuclear speech shows Russia violated INF treaty obligations: U.S. State Department -- Reuters
Pentagon 'not surprised' by new Putin nuclear threats -- The Hill

Romania To Receive Patriot Missile System Over Objections From Russia

NATO build up encroaching Russian defenses. Photo source: The Risk Advisory Group.

Zero Hedge: US Approves $3.9 Billion Patriot Missile System For Romania; Putin: "We Will Be Forced To Respond"

On Tuesday the State Department approved the sale of $3.9 billion in patriot missile systems to NATO-member Romania after prior Russia warnings that such actions could be met with severe reprisals.

The announcement, issued through the Pentagon's Defense Security Cooperation Agency, is sure to be a huge shot across the bow following on the heels of Russian President Vladimir Putin's earlier unambiguous words (issued in May) regarding further NATO build-up in the large Balkan country:

If yesterday in those areas of Romania people simply did not know what it means to be in the cross-hairs, then today we will be forced to carry out certain measures to ensure our security. We won't take any action until we see rockets in areas that neighbor us. We've been repeating like a mantra that we will be forced to respond... Nobody wants to hear us. Nobody wants to conduct negotiations with us.

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WNU Editor: Expect more close calls between Russian and NATO aircraft over the skies of Europe.

Russian Parliamentarian: We Will Use Nuclear Weapons If The US Or NATO Enter Eastern Ukraine Or Crimea

Patrick Tucker, Defense One: Russian Lawmaker: We Would Use Nukes if US or NATO Enters Crimea

The Western alliance’s troop buildup in Eastern Europe has Moscow spooked.

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia — Russia would be forced to use nuclear weapons in any conflict in which U.S. or NATO forces entered eastern Ukraine, a member of Russia’s parliament told an international gathering of government security officials on Sunday.

“On the issue of NATO expansion on our borders, at some point I heard from the Russian military — and I think they are right — If U.S. forces, NATO forces, are, were, in the Crimea, in eastern Ukraine, Russia is undefendable militarily in case of conflict without using nuclear weapons in the early stage of the conflict,” Russian parliamentarian Vyacheslav Alekseyevich Nikonov told attendees at the GLOBSEC 2017 forum in Bratislava, Slovakia.

Russian military leaders have discussed Moscow’s willingness to use nuclear weapons in a conflict with military leaders in NATO, as part of broader and increasingly contentious conversations about the alliance’s expansion, Nikonov later told Defense One.

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WNU editor: For those who may not know .... Russian parliamentarian Vyacheslav Nikonov (the Russian lawmaker who is quoted in this post) is the grandson of Vyacheslav Molotov, the former Soviet foreign minister under Stalin. Over the years he has served on the staff of Mikhail Gorbachev, Boris Yeltsin and Vladimir Putin .... and he is regarded to be one the "wise men" in the Russian government. I have met him also once .... and it was in a forum where I was giving the presentation on the need for Russia to reform its judicial system. He begins to participate at the 14:00 mark of the above video .... and he provides (IMHO) a good explanation on what is the current  Russian position on East-West tensions.

Russia Calls U.S. Black Sea Patrols A Threat

© AFP 2017/ DANIEL MIHAILESCU

Sputnik: Russian Gen Staff Sees US Patrol in Black Sea as Potential Security Threat

US patrol in the Black Sea area presents potential threat to the security of the Russian Federation, because it's not clear what rockets are on the ships, the head of the Russian General Staff said Tuesday.

Uncertainty over what type of weapons are loaded onto the United States' Navy ships patrolling the Black Sea and the Baltic Sea pose a potential threat to Russia, the Russian General Staff's deputy chief said Tuesday.

"Ballistic missile defense ships patrolling the Black and Baltic seas are a threat to the facilities of the European part of Russia because there is uncertainty over which weapons are currently loaded onto launchers: interceptor missiles or cruise missiles," Lt. Gen. Viktor Poznikhir said.

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Update: Russia and NATO square-off over Black Sea tensions (News.com.au)

WNU Editor: This is why the Russian military are concerned about this US Navy deployment .... Top Russian military brass warns US missile defense ships in Black and Baltic seas can hit Russia (TASS)

Update #2: NATO fighter jets are also being deployed .... Typhoon jets from RAF Coningsby to counter Russia threat over Black Sea (SKY News). More here .... RAF Typhoon jets to be deployed to Romania to help combat Russian aggression in the Black Sea (The Independent)