US Senate to Ban US Weapon Supplies to Turkey Over Potential Purchase of Russian S-400 System

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On Monday, the US Senate adopted the National Defence Authorisation Act for Fiscal Year 2019, which obliges the Secretary of Defense to present a special report regarding the potential purchase by Turkey of the S-400 air/missile defence system from Russia. The document stated:

Not later than 60 days after the date of the enactment of the Act, the Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Secretary of State, shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report on the status of the US relationship with the Republic of Turkey. The Secretary of Defense may not take any action to execute the delivery of a foreign military sale for major defence equipment to Turkey until the report is submitted.

The document stipulates:

The required report should include an assessment of the potential purchase by the Government of Turkey of the S-400 air and missile defence system from the Russian Federation and the potential effects of such purchase on the USA-Turkey bilateral relationship, including an assessment of impacts on other US weapon systems and platforms operated jointly with Turkey to include the F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike aircraft, the Patriot surface-to-air missile system, the CH-47 Chinook heavy-lift helicopter, the AH-1 Attack helicopter, the UH-60 Black Hawk utility helicopter, and the F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft. The Secretary of Defense isn’t allowed to take any action to execute the delivery of a foreign military sale for major defence equipment subject to congressional notification to the Republic of Turkey until the Secretary submits to the appropriate congressional committees the report.

Earlier reports said that Ankara intends to purchase over 100 F-35 warplanes. The proposed measure may hinder the execution of the contract.

The S-400 Triumf is an advanced long-range antiaircraft missile system that went into service in 2007. It is designed to destroy aircraft, cruise and ballistic missiles, including medium-range missiles, and surface targets. The S-400 can engage targets at a distance of 400 kilometres and at an altitude of up to 30 kilometres. In November 2016, Turkey and Russia were negotiating a contract for the supply of S-400 air defence systems. Russia confirmed the conclusion of the contract on 12 September 2017.

19 June 2018

TASS

http://tass.com/world/1010065

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Iran and Russia Ink Military Cooperation Agreement… Ends Threat of Anglo Aggression Against the Islamic Republic

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Defence Minister S K Shoigu and his Iranian counterpart Hossein Dehghan signed an agreement on military coöperation between the two countries. Afterwards, Shoigu said that relations between the Russian and Iranian Defence Ministries have been on a steady rise for the past few years, saying, “Today’s signing of an intergovernmental agreement on military coöperation is a major step along these lines. We created a theoretical basis for interaction in the military sphere”. Russia and Iran agreed that bilateral coöperation should have a greater practical aspect and contribute to enhancing the combat readiness of the Russian and Iranian forces. Shoigu said that the negotiations concerned issues of mutual interest, such as delegation exchanges, inter-staff talks, exchange of experience in peacekeeping operations, and the struggle against terrorism. At Russia’s request, both parties discussed the topic of humanitarian mine-clearing operations. Shoigu said, “We agreed to expand frequency of naval ship visits to Russian and Iranian ports”.

In addition, Shoigu invited his Iranian counterpart to a Moscow conference on international security, due in April, saying after the negotiations and signing a Russo-Iranian of military coöperation agreement, “I invited General Dehghan to visit Russia and to speak at the 4th Moscow Conference on International Security in April 2015”. Besides this, he voiced hope for a further dialogue with Iran in the course of activities Russia would arrange for during its presidency of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (ShOS). Dehghan thanked Shoigu for the invitation to the conference, where, according to Dehghan, “We’ll be able to speak our mind and express our views on crucial issues of maintaining international security and regional stability”. Last year, Dehghan visited the Moscow conference. At a meeting with Shoigu, he declared that Iran had interest in taking coöperation with Russia to a new level.

Shoigu noted, “During the talks, we exchanged views on several key issues of international and regional security. Primarily, this related to the Middle East and Afghanistan. To a large extent, our assessments on the situation are similar or identical”. He said that both parties emphasised a need to coördinate efforts aimed at countering terrorism and drug trafficking, saying, “We consider de-escalation of tensions one of the priority tasks in our responsibility area. We’ll intensify contacts on this problem. I hope for further close cooperation”.

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On Tuesday, Defence Minister S K Shoigu said at talks with his Iranian counterpart Hossein Dehghan that the development of constructive relations between Russia and Tehran is an “important factor of ensuring international security and global stability. We want long-term and multi-faceted coöperation with Tehran. We welcome the Iranian leadership’s drive for the comprehensive extension of ties with Russia, amongst other things, in the defence sphere”. Shoigu, who arrived in Tehran for a two-day official visit on Monday, said that Russia and Iran have common challenges and they can only counter regional threats with joint efforts. Shoigu said that his meeting last year with his Iranian counterpart in Moscow helped to lay the foundation for boosting bilateral military and technical coöperation. He called to focus on strengthening its legal basis, saying, “The signing of a Russian-Iranian agreement on military coöperation will become an important step in this direction”. He also proposed discussing prospects of bilateral coöperation, to prioritise practical steps that the sides are due to take in the near future. Shoigu also praised Iran’s efforts in the fight against global terrorism, observing, “We welcome Tehran’s wish for fair coöperation on Afghanistan including in the framework of the ShOS”, adding that Tehran took taken serious steps towards counteracting drug trafficking from Afghanistan. In this context, he said, “The cooperation of Russian and Iranian military agencies is becoming of special importance”. Shoigu thanked Dehghan for the invitation to visit Tehran, saying this is the first visit to Iran paid by a Russian Defence Minister in 15 years.

20 January 2015

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The Obama Administration is still “studying” information about Defence Minister S K Shoigu’s visit to Tehran. In advance, the US side warned Russia that supplying S-300 SAM systems to Iran would be unacceptable. The USA saw the news about the meetings in Iran between Russian and Iranian officials to discuss military coöperation and possible agreements. Now, a US State Department official told TASS on condition of anonymity that it’s studying reports about these meetings. Previously, the official added that the US side made it clear that it objects to any sale of the S-300 system to Iran, and that these objections are still in force. According to previous reports, in particular, during Shoigu’s visit to Tehran, the sides signed an agreement on Russo-Iranian military coöperation. Connected with the start of UN sanctions against Iran in September 2010, Russia suspended implementing a contract to supply Iran S-300 SAM systems. Later, Tehran challenged this decision through the courts. Last summer, Iran announced that it successfully tested its own analogue of the S-300 system, the Bavar-373 (Belief-373).

21 January 2015

ITAR-TASS

http://itar-tass.com/en/russia/772087

http://itar-tass.com/en/russia/772066

http://itar-tass.com/en/world/772294

Editor:

The Americans are scared shitless of the S-300… that means that it’s superior to American gear and immune to American airborne missile countermeasures. That is, with S-300s, Iran could fend off any American or Israeli aggression via airstrikes. In other words, this agreement renders all loudmouth US Republican trash talk bootless bullshit. It couldn’t happen to better people. Eat shit and die, Ted Cruz… go to hell, go directly to hell, don’t pass “Go”, don’t pocket 200 million bucks, Marco Rubio. Isn’t it drop-dead funny to see them throw tantrums? It means that the “sole superpower” doesn’t have the power to impose its juvenile and narcissistic will.

God willing, this will preserve the peace…

BMD

American Sanctions an Attempt to Mask Failure of American Policy in the Ukraine

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A statement posted on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MID) website said, “We consider the new package of American sanctions against Russia to be a primitive effort at revenge, because Ukrainian events aren’t developing according to Washington’s scenario. The outrageous and ungrounded attempt to place the blame on Russia for a civil war in a neighbouring country, which was the result of a deep internal crisis, which has already claimed many victims, proved that trying to suppress widespread societal disturbances by force was a failure in strategy, both by the USA and by its clients in Kiev”. The MID also pointed up that, by resorting to such measures, the White House effectively incites bloodshed in the former eastern Ukraine, instead of forcing the junta to stop using artillery and armoured vehicles against civilians.

On Wednesday, the US government imposed new sanctions against a number of Russian companies and banks, including Gazprombank and Vnesheconombank, also known as the Development and Foreign Economic Affairs Bank, as well as Rosneft and Novatek. The US government denied them access to US financial markets, whilst it prohibits US-based companies and individuals from granting loans to them for more than 90 days. Some EU elements also approved the expansion of the sanctions list. The USA and some in the EU accuse Russia of meddling with in Ukrainian internal affairs, introducing targeted sanctions against a number of Russian officials and companies. The Western sanctions have extended gradually since their initial introduction after the Crimea reunified with Russia. Repeatedly, Moscow condemned the sanction’s “language”, warning of the reverse effect such limitations can have. Earlier on Thursday, the MID said that Moscow retains its right to reciprocal measures over sanctions, stating, “Nobody tolerates blackmail”.

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On Thursday, President V V Putin said Moscow didn’t object to the Ukraine receiving financial aid from the IMF and other big lenders, but emphasised that they should prevent the junta from using the money to wage war on civilians in the east. He told a press conference in Brazil, “Of course, we’re all for supporting the Ukraine financially, meaning the Ukrainian people, not some oligarchs or swindlers. Traditionally, the [IMF] didn’t provide financial assistance to countries at war, and I think that’s the right thing to do. I that we must uphold believe this tradition in the Ukraine’s case. As a rule, a country at war receives money for one goal and it spends the cash on quite another”.

Kiev received the first IMF tranche of 3.16 billion USD (111.4 billion Roubles. 3.4 billion CAD. 3.38 billion AUD. 2.34 billion Euros. 1.85 billion UK Pounds) in early May after it approved a 17 billion USD loan to the Ukraine in the form of a two-year stabilisation programme. The Ukraine expects to receive 27 billion USD (951.8 billion Roubles. 29.1 billion CAD. 28.9 billion AUD. 20 billion Euros. 15.8 billion UK Pounds) from international donors such as the IMF, the World Bank, the USA, and the EU. From this sum, about 14 billion USD (493.6 billion Roubles. 15.1 billion CAD. 15 billion AUD. 10.4 billion Euros. 8.2 billion UK Pounds) shall come in 2014. Putin urged the IMF to think of control instruments to monitor the distribution of financial aid in the Ukraine so that it channels this money into the nation’s social and economic spheres, not siphoned off by murky private banks or stolen. Putin noted, “They mean a significant share of these resources to shore up the country’s banking and financial sectors. As far as I know, a hefty part of these financial means went to private banks run by Ukrainian oligarchs. Where’s this money? What’s become of it? Who pocketed it? Neither the IMF nor the Ukrainian community has a clue. I think they need to stop military activities first. Only then, would it be OK to give them money. Besides, a portion of the resources received [by the Ukraine] as its first tranche were to be spent to pay off its foreign trade debts, for instance, its debt for Russian fuel, and we’ve seen none [of that money]”.

He suggested that the fate of the cash injected by the IMF in Ukraine in May was similar to multi-billion loans that Moscow gave Kiev at the turn of 2013. He said that the Ukrainians didn’t use the money to settle Ukraine’s debt with Russia or pay for further gas deliveries, observing, “A big question is where our money has gone”. He also blamed countries that are pushing the Ukraine towards the precipice of disintegration for shifting responsibility on others, emphasising, “One should be very careful about how one treats government institutions… when they’re neglected, the consequences are always dire, it leads to disintegration and internal conflicts, such as the ones we’re witnessing in the Ukraine”. He said that the USA seemed to be pushing the Ukraine into a civil war by supporting the continued repressions in the east, saying that this policy was doomed to fail.

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On Thursday, the Minoborony vehemently denied accusations of shooting down a junta Su-25. A high-ranking military official said, “This claim, as well as all previous accusations by Kiev against the Minoborony, is absurd. They accuse us almost every day, with Kiev promising to provide ‘undeniable evidence’ as soon as possible. However, this ‘evidence’ tends to disappear without a trace, and they try to cover up the embarrassment with new and even more bizarre accusations. Looking at the biographies of the current military leaders … it doesn’t take a guru to understand that these people have neither the military training nor the practical experience in planning activities and combat employment of the troops and weapons systems under their command”.

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An expert source noted that a junta SAM unit deployed near Donetsk a day before the crash of a Malaysian passenger plane on Thursday, making the downing of the aircraft by one of the missiles highly probable, stating, “According to reconnaissance data, a Ukrainian air defence battalion with Buk SAMs deployed near Donetsk on Wednesday morning”. The source added that the opolchenie opposing the junta forces doesn’t have Buk SAMs, which can shoot down aircraft at altitudes up to 25 kilometres (82,000 feet).

According to various reports, a Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur crashed near Donetsk on Thursday. It carried 280 passengers (including 23 American citizens) and 15 crew. Malaysia Airlines confirmed that it lost contact with its plane when it was above Ukrainian airspace, posting on Twitter, “Malaysia Airlines lost contact of MH17 from Amsterdam. The last known position was over Ukrainian airspace. More details to follow”. Eyewitnesses from Torez in the Donetsk People’s Republic (DNR) told RIA-Novosti that plane wreckage and dead bodies are scattered around the area, covering an area of about one square kilometre (@0.4 square mile (248 acres)).

Editor:

It’s clear what happened… the junta shot down this plane as a provocation. Their shelling of Russian territory didn’t have the desired result. Why move SAMs to the DNR? They’re not needed… what the junta forces need is food, fuel, and munitions… all of which are in short supply due to thievery by Poroshenko, Yatsenyuk (his mansion was next door to V F Yanukovich‘s… he’s a bigger thief than Yanukovich ever was), and Darlin’ Yuliya the Landshark. Note well that the Uniate pigs shot down a plane with American citizens on board… such violence is habitual to them. After all, remember Talerhof… remember their betrayal of St Maksim Sandovich (and here)… remember the SS VOLUNTEER Division… remember the UPA murderers who massacred the Poles in Volynia (and here)… remember their murder of Blessed Gavriil Kostelnik (and here)… remember the Uniate armed mobs who stole churches in the 90s… remember the Uniate beating of Fr Mikhail Shuvar (that led to his untimely death)… remember the Uniate torture of Rostislav Vasilko. In short, it fits right in with the violent Uniate MO… after all, they scream, “Knife the Moskali (Kill the Russians)!” Now, the Uniates have gone too far. Here’s the most sickening part… they probably did it with the full knowledge and approval of Langley. God do have mercy on the USA for supporting such murderous swine.

BMD

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On Thursday, Aeroflot, Russia’s largest air carrier, said that it’ll change its flight routes to bypass Ukrainian airspace following a crash of a Malaysian passenger plane in the DNR. It posted on Twitter, “Aeroflot shall carry out flights bypassing Ukrainian airspace”. Earlier the same day, Transaero Airlines also decided that its flights to third countries would bypass Ukrainian airspace. Kazakhstan’s principal airline, Air Astana, suspended its flights from Almaty to Kiev in connection with the crash of the Malaysian aircraft in the Ukraine. Flight controllers reported that the plane disappeared from radar screens whilst flying at an altitude of about 10,000 metres (@33,000 feet).

17 July 2014

Rossiya Segodnya

http://en.ria.ru/politics/20140717/190978656/Russia-Sanctions-Ukraine-Russian%20Foreign%20Ministry.html

http://en.ria.ru/business/20140717/190976487/Putin-Urges-to-Stop-Ukraine-from-Wasting-IMF-Cash-on-War.html

http://en.ria.ru/world/20140717/190987820/Russia-Denies-Shooting-Down-Ukrainian-Combat-Jet.html

http://en.ria.ru/world/20140717/190988635/Ukrainian-Army-Buk-Missile-Likely-Downed-Malaysian-Plane–.html

http://en.ria.ru/world/20140717/190989812/Russias-Aeroflot-Transaero-Decide-to-Avoid-Ukraine-Airspace.html

More “Ukrainian” Units Come Over to the Patriotic Side in the Crimea

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Three Ukrainian anti-aircraft missile regiments went over to the forces loyal to the Autonomous Republic of the Crimea (ARK). An ARK spokesman told RIA-Novosti, “In total, more than 700 soldiers and officers declared their readiness to defend the Crimea”. He noted that the 50, 55, and 147 Antiaircraft Missile Regiments stationed in Yalta, Feodosiya, and Cape Fiolent went over to the Crimean government, adding, “These air defence units, now on our side, include more than 20 Buk SAM systems and more than 30 PS-300 SAM systems”. Earlier, the 204 Fighter Air Base, with 49 aircraft on establishment, went over to the ARK.

4 March 2014

Nakanune.ru

http://www.nakanune.ru/news/2014/3/4/22343594/