Showing posts with label weapons upgrade. Show all posts
Showing posts with label weapons upgrade. Show all posts

Friday, February 25, 2011

Russia launches $650bn military plan



A russian aircraft carrier

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/166974.html

Russia is planning to spend $650 billion on renewing its military equipments, including helicopters, submarines and warships until 2020.

The plan includes the purchase of 100 warships, 8 nuclear submarines, 600 jets and 1,000 helicopters.

Russia's Deputy Defense Minister Vladimir Popovkin says the plan would largely extend the number of modern equipments adding the main task is the modernization of the armed forces. However, Popovkin says Russia is not interested in purchasing any foreign weapons or military hardware.

With only 10 percent of its armed forces considered as “modern,” the Kremlin needs to upgrade its decrepit military by recruiting and training new troops as the country continues to rely on its antiquated equipments and is currently short of manpower. A drive to improve the forces is said to have already begun.

The new S-500 anti-missile system is supposed to back the country's missile defense in the near future. However, on the naval front Russia has failed to regain parity with the US as it has not spent on new aircraft carriers.

An independent military analyst Alexander Golts says “Much of Russia's focus appeared mistakenly aimed at keeping nuclear parity with the United States at a time when the greatest threats to the country's security were coming from North Korea and Central Asia.”

Russian generals sacked without reason



Russian President Dmitry Medvedev

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/166969.html

Russia has fired seven senior interior ministry generals without a clear explanation.

The deputy head of Moscow's interior ministry department and the interior ministry's inspector general are among the officials fired on Friday.

Moscow has vowed to track down on terrorism. However, it is not yet clear if the dismissals are in any way related to last month's bombing of Moscow's Domodedovo airport, which claimed the lives of 37 people.

Following the attack, President Dmitry Medvedev fired the head of interior ministry's transport administration for the Central Federal District, warning of further dismissals.

Medvedev's administration has recently witnessed mass protests against what people call Kremlin's stifling of democracy as well as corruption, and rising prices.

ICJ delivers ruling in favour of South Africa

South Africa's Closing Argument Against Israel for Genocide at the ICJ