Tag Archives: EUCOM

Russia Building Literal and Figurative Bridges to China

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“…The first road bridge was opened between Russia and China….”

Ever since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and subsequent Western censure, the pro-Kremlin media has reassured its audience that Russia could not be isolated, and that the country would find other trading partners.  China is often cited as an example of an alternate, trustworthy trading partner with which Russia can expand commerce.  The first excerpt from the pro-business source Kommersant describes the recent construction of two bridges in the Far East that will link China and Russia and facilitate trade. 

According to the article this was “the first road bridge opened between Russia and China,” linking Blagoveshchensk (Russia) to Heihe (China) across the Amur River.  Construction began in 2016, and although it was completed two years ago, “the opening had to be postponed due to the pandemic.”  The article also points that back in April, “the first cross-border railway bridge across the Amur River from the Russian village of Nizhneleninskoye to China’s Tongjiang was opened.”  Citing a logistics’ expert, the article also reinforces the notion “that we [Russia] are experiencing a global drop in foreign trade volumes with the European Union, [so] we need any options for the delivery of goods from the Middle Kingdom in order to somehow compensate for the drop in import flows.”

The second article from the pro-Kremlin source National News Service describes additional economic measures intended to further strengthen Russia-China trade.  It cites a Russian economist who asserts that “China can increase the volume of trade and investment cooperation.  Secondly, it is necessary to develop cross-border cooperation, electronic commerce, scientific and technical cooperation.”  To increase trade opportunities, the expert recommends “that it is necessary to move away from dollars in relations with China in the interbank sphere – to the ruble-yuan regime.”  The article concludes by quoting the Chinese Ambassador to Russia who recently said, “that the world is now at an important turning point, promising that the Russian-Chinese relationship will only get stronger regardless of changes in the international situation.”

Source:

Sabina Adleiba, “Россия и Китай навели мосты (Russia and China build bridges),” Kommersant (pro-business site), 10 June 2022. https://www.kommersant.ru/doc/5405772

…The first road bridge was opened between Russia and China…. Russia and China signed an agreement on the construction of the bridge back in 2015, work on it began in 2016. For three years, it was erected in parallel from two banks. The facility was ready two and a half years ago, but the opening had to be postponed due to the pandemic.

…The new bridge is two-lane, its length is about a kilometer, plus access roads – 6 km in China, twice as much in Russia. It is expected that more than 600 trucks, about 160 buses and about 70 cars will be able to pass on the new road every day.

In addition, at the end of April, the first cross-border railway bridge from the village of Nizhneleninskoye to China’s Tongjiang was opened. It also passes over the Amur River.  The new route can significantly change this situation, Georgy Vlastopulo, director of Optimal Logistics, believes…. “Taking into account the fact that we are experiencing a global drop in foreign trade volumes with the European Union, we need any options for the delivery of goods from the Middle Kingdom in order to somehow compensate for the drop in import flows.”

Source: Evgenia Zheludkova, “Военные маневры и уход от доллара: Как Китай поддержит Россию в обход санкций (Military maneuvers and the withdrawal from the dollar: How China will support Russia bypassing sanctions),” National News Service (pro-Kremlin site), 3 June 2022. https://nsn.fm/policy/voennye-manevry-i-uhod-ot-dollara-kak-kitai-podderzhit-rossiu-v-obhod-sanktsii

…China will significantly help Russia in economic terms if it decides to switch to rubles and yuan, said Andrey Ostrovsky, head of the Center for Economic and Social Research of China at the Institute of the Far East of the Russian Academy of Sciences…

“It will be more difficult to provide proper economic support, but there are a number of areas in which cooperation can be further developed,” he added…. “Here, firstly, China can increase the volume of trade and investment cooperation. Secondly, it is necessary to develop cross-border cooperation, electronic commerce, scientific and technical cooperation, there are many points here…”

“The most important problem today is that it is necessary to move away from dollars in relations with China in the interbank sphere – to the ruble-yuan regime….”

…The day before, Chinese Ambassador to Moscow Zhang Hanhui said that “the world is now at an important turning point, promising that the Russian-Chinese relationship will only get stronger regardless of changes in the international situation.”

Russian Orthodox Church Strengthening Support for Ukraine Invasion

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Main Cathedral of the Russian Armed Forces.

Main Cathedral of the Russian Armed Forces.

“…It is worth recalling that shortly before the start of the special military operation of the Russian Federation in Ukraine, Hilarion said: “I am personally afraid of war. And I think that we must do everything to ensure that there is no war, no big war, no small war, no world war, no local war.”

Given its close alignment with the Kremlin, it is not surprising that the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) has adopted a “you are either with us or against us” philosophy and has openly endorsed the so-called “special military operation” (SMO) in Ukraine.  (For additional background, see “Religious Blessing for the “Special Military Operation” in Ukraine,” OE Watch, May 2022). The accompanying excerpt from the semi-independent Russian Nezavisimaya Gazeta describes some recent changes in the ROC’s hierarchy and organization, which reflects its growing militancy.  The article begins by recounting the recent transfer of high-level ROC cleric Metropolitan Hilarion, who had spoken out against the conflict in Ukraine.  Drawing an analogy to the collapse of the Russian Empire in 1917, Hilarion reminded his flock about “Rasputin [who] was an ardent opponent of Russia’s entry into the war.  He warned the tsar that if Russia entered the war, it would threaten the whole country with catastrophic consequences.” 

The article also provides an update regarding Orthodox believers in Ukraine who, up until last month, pledged allegiance to the Russian patriarch.  They now have announced their intention to split from the ROC, which has caused consternation in Moscow.  In the past, the clerics of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchy (UOC-MP) enjoyed some level of independence from the church leadership in Moscow, but they will now fall under the “direct canonical and administrative subordination to the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia and the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church.”  The article also discusses the restoration “of protopresbyter of the military and naval clergy,” who will serve as the chief liaison between the ROC and the military.  In the past, “this chief military priest was equated with a general.” 

The growing proximity of the ROC and the military, according to the excerpt, “is not surprising.  After the start of the invasion of Ukraine, the patriarch visited the main military church in Kubinka several times and delivered sermons there on the importance of military service.”  These religious developments, whereby the ROC is losing influence in Ukraine, may provide additional incentives for the Kremlin to gain control over the entire country. 

Source:

Andrei Melnikov, “РПЦ переходит на военное положение (The Russian Orthodox Church moves into martial law),” Nezavisimaya Gazeta (semi-independent Russian media outlet), 7 June 2022.  https://www.ng.ru/faith/2022-06-07/1_8455_general.html

…The synod of the Russian Orthodox Church at a meeting on Tuesday put an end to the ambiguous position of the church against the backdrop of a military special operation in Ukraine. No longer bound by obligations to its Ukrainian believers, the Moscow Patriarchate is bringing its own configuration into line with the limits of influence of the Russian state. The synodals made revolutionary decisions: they removed Metropolitan Hilarion (Alfeev), who was responsible for “pacifism” in the Russian Orthodox Church, from the post of chairman of the Department for External Church Relations (DECR), and at the same time strengthened the spiritual and patriotic component of church policy….

…It is worth recalling that shortly before the start of the special military operation of the Russian Federation in Ukraine, Hilarion said: “I am personally afraid of war. And I think that we must do everything to ensure that there is no war, no big war, no small war, no world war, no local war. There are a lot of forces that want to drag us into some kind of war, and they are not only outside our country, but also inside it. There are those who want to rattle weapons, who say: they say, we are invincible, invincible, we will repulse any enemy. In March, he suddenly began to justify Grigory Rasputin. “Rasputin was an ardent opponent of Russia’s entry into the war. And he warned the tsar that if Russia entered the war, it would threaten the whole country with catastrophic consequences….”

The rejection of soft church power was also reflected in other decisions of the Synod of June 7. The ROC responded in a peculiar way to the recent declaration of independence by the Ukrainian Orthodox Church – mainly with the votes of those participants in the Council of the UOC on May 27, who are located on the territory of the country controlled by the Kyiv authorities. For a long time, starting from the Russian spring of 2014, the Moscow Patriarchate maintained demonstrative independence from the political situation and left the three eparchies of Crimea under the jurisdiction of the UOC.

In response to the appeals of His Grace Metropolitan Platon of Theodosius and Kerch, Metropolitan Lazar of Simferopol and Crimea, Bishop Alexy of Dzhankoy and Razdolnensky, proceeding from the need to maintain an effective canonical and administrative connection with the central church authorities for the successful flow of church life in the dioceses served by the aforementioned bishops, taking into account the practical the impossibility of regular communication of these dioceses with the Kievan Metropolia, to accept the Dzhankoy, Simferopol and Feodosiya eparchies into direct canonical and administrative subordination to the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia and the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church, – says in synodal journals…. 

…Finally, the Synod, in a sense, turned history back: it restored the position of protopresbyter of the military and naval clergy, which had been abolished in 1918….  The chief military priest was equated with a general. ….

The attention of the Synod to the military theme is not surprising. After the start of the special operation in Ukraine, the patriarch visited the main military church in Kubinka several times and delivered sermons there on the importance of military service. It was these sermons that became the basis for calls for sanctions against the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, because he allegedly “blessed” the special operation in Ukraine. 

Image Information:

Image: Main Cathedral of the Russian Armed Forces.
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Cathedral_of_the_Russian_Armed_Forces
Attribution: CCA 4.0 Intl

Russia’s “Terminator” System in Ukraine To Inform Tactics

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Tank Support Combat Vehicle (BMPT).

Tank Support Combat Vehicle (BMPT).

Tank Support Combat Vehicle (BMPT).

Tank Support Combat Vehicle (BMPT).

“In terms of firepower, according to experts, one “Terminator”, armed with cannons, rockets and machine guns, surpasses two motorized rifle platoons.”

The accompanying excerpted article from Russian government newspaper Rossiyskaya Gazeta  describes the capabilities of Russia’s Tank Support Combat Vehicle (BMPT[RG1] ) and how it has been employed during Russia’s 2022 invasion of the Ukraine.  Also known as the ‘Terminator’ for its intent to destroy infantryman wielding antitank weapons, the BMPT concept has been in development since Soviet times.  Despite Russia’s reportedly successful use of the system during the Syrian campaign and the fact that a few foreign militaries (Kazakhstan and Algeria) have adopted it, there is currently only one BMPT company in the Russian Ground Forces.  According to the article, there is a debate about possibly rebranding the system by changing the name from ‘Tank Support Combat Vehicle’ to ‘Fire Support Combat Vehicle’ because the system can also support mounted and dismounted infantry formations.  The perceived success or failure of the BMPT in the Donbas will likely cause Russia to more widely field the BMPT, or abandon the program entirely.  If successful, the heavy combat conditions that BMPT is encountering will allow Russian tacticians and planners to determine the best tactics and force structure for the BMPTs integration with the Russian Ground Forces.

Source:

Sergey Ptichkin, “ВС РФ впервые применили в ходе спецоперации БМПТ ‘Терминатор’ (The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation used the BMPT ‘Terminator’ for the first time during the special operation),” Rossiyskaya Gazeta (official Russian government newspaper), 18 May 2022. https://rg.ru/2022/05/18/vs-rf-vpervye-primenili-v-hode-specoperacii-bmpt-terminator.html

…BMPTs, together with tank platoons, are involved in the destruction of Ukrainian positions, armored vehicles, and crews of anti-tank missile systems. It is also said that the participation of the BMPT in the course of the special operation will make it possible to finally form the tactics for the use of these vehicles and determine their place in the armored groups…

In terms of firepower, according to experts, one “Terminator”, armed with cannons, rockets and machine guns, surpasses two motorized rifle platoons.  Based on the Afghan experience, the first BMPT was developed, which received the name “Terminator” at the beginning of the 21st century. It was actively promoted by the head of the Main Armored Directorate, Colonel General Sergei Maev. But even his authority was not enough for the accelerated delivery of a machine to the troops, which really has no analogues in the world.

Perhaps the situation will now change, and the BMPT will go into mass production. By the way, an idea to slightly change the name of the system was put forward, to designate the “Terminators” as fire support combat vehicles.  Because the “Terminator” is capable of supporting not only tanks, but also infantry, especially those fighting in cities.

Here are just the main features and benefits of this machine. Since the BMPT was created on the basis of the T-72[RG1] , it has a tank’s armored protection — it is difficult to knock it out. It has optical, television and thermal imaging sites for observation and aiming. It sees at night as well as during the day…The BMPT is armed with two quick-firing 30 mm 2A42 cannons and four Ataka missiles. The 45-degree elevation angle of the missile armament and cannons makes it possible to conduct effective combat operations in mountainous terrain and in urban areas…

Image Information:

Image: Tank Support Combat Vehicle (BMPT)
Source: Vitaly Kuzmin, https://photos.smugmug.com/Military/Rehearsal-in-Alabino-17-April-2019/i-chgNPrQ/0/5070c462/X2/Rehearsal17April2019-0071-X2.jpg
Attribution: CC BY 4.0

Image: Tank Support Combat Vehicle (BMPT)
Source: Vitaly Kuzmin, https://photos.smugmug.com/Military/Rehearsal-in-Alabino-17-April-2019/i-MHbnq66/0/ce5af375/X2/Rehearsal17April2019-0072-X2.jpg
Attribution: CC BY 4.0

Russian Media Source Blames United States for Russian “Brain Drain”

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“Will the United States be able to weaken Russia by poaching its best specialists?”

An increasing number of Russians, often among the country’s best and brightest, have emigrated in recent years as the Kremlin’s domestic policies have become more repressive.  These self-exiled Russians believe they can better realize their potential in countries with a more transparent political system, better legal guarantees, and greater opportunities to exercise personal freedom.  This “brain drain” has become an even more acute problem for the Kremlin since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.  According to the opposition media source Meduza, nearly 150,000 peoplehave emigrated from Russia since 24 February.  Rather than examining the domestic reasons for leaving Russia, some pro-Kremlin media blame the United States for this exodus.  Citing a recent Chinese article, the second excerpt from the semi-independentsite Nezavisimaya Gazeta claims that the United States has “created a brain drain trend using it as a tool to weaken Russia.”  According to the author, “Washington is trying to facilitate the transfer to the United States of the best Russian specialists with experience in semiconductors, space technology, cybersecurity, nuclear engineering, artificial intelligence, and other specialized scientific fields.”  Given this trend, the Kremlin may soon develop policies to restrict its most qualified citizens from leaving Russia.

Sources:

Kristina Safonova, “Сколько людей уехало из России из-за войны? (How many people left Russia because of the war?),” Meduza (opposition news source), 7 May 2022. https://meduza.io/feature/2022/05/07/skolko-lyudey-uehalo-iz-rossii-iz-za-voyny-oni-uzhe-nikogda-ne-vernutsya-mozhno-li-eto-schitat-ocherednoy-volnoy-emigratsii

Is it possible to estimate how many people left Russia after February 24?

Julia Florinskaya: I don’t have any estimates – neither accurate nor inaccurate. It’s more of an order of numbers. My order of numbers is about 150 thousand people.

Source: Tatyana Popova, “Организация «утечки мозгов» как новое глобальное оружие США (Organization of brain drain as a new global weapon of the United States),” Nezavisimaya Gazeta (semi-independent), 5 May 2022. https://www.ng.ru/world/2022-05-05/100_usa050522.html

Will the United States be able to weaken Russia by poaching its best specialists?

The United States of America intends to prevent the development of high technologies in Russia and in parallel to improve its economy, using special tactics, say the authors of the Chinese daily newspaper Global Times. …Washington is trying to facilitate the transfer to the United States of the best Russian specialists with experience in semiconductors, space technology, cybersecurity, nuclear engineering, artificial intelligence, space technology and other specialized scientific fields…. …According to the newspaper, the statement that the United States “wants to see Russia weakened” reveals the true intentions of the United States…. The US creates a brain drain trend using it as a tool to weaken Russia. The consequences of the mass exodus of specialists (scientists and engineers) from the country are obvious – this process undermines the foundation of national economic and military development. …However, it is clear that the US is determined to weaken Russia.

Russian WWII Veteran Benefits Lag Behind Those in Central Asia

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“It is noteworthy that one-time payments to Russian veterans are many times less than similar assistance to their fellow soldiers living in the Asian republics of the former USSR….”

As the brief excerpted article in the semi-independent Nezavisimaya Gazeta indicates, Kremlin rhetoric regarding the debt owed to World War II (WWII) veterans far outweighs the reality of the low pay they receive.  Russia’s annual Victory Day commemoration on 9 May has become the apotheosis and driving force behind current Kremlin ideology.  The Soviet Union’s triumph over Nazi Germany in the what the Russian’s know as the “Great Patriotic War” now serves as the bellicose prism through which the Kremlin view themselves and the world.  Just as the Soviet Union saved the world from fascism in the early 1940s, so today, according to Kremlin propaganda, brave Russian soldiers are fighting Nazism in Ukraine.  Given the central importance of this holiday and the current conflict, one might assume that the Kremlin would understand the importance of demonstrating its gratitude to those few surviving Russian veterans.  However, the article showed an unflattering comparison between the annual benefits provided to surviving WWII veterans in Russia and four Central Asian countries: Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Tajikistan.  For instance, in 2022, “10 thousand rubles [$154] were transferred to the 20,320 [remaining WWII] veterans in the Russian Federation.”  Although the Central Asian economies are much smaller than Russia’s, they provided a significantly larger veteran benefit.  Uzbekistan provided $1,339; Kyrgyzstan paid $1,209; Kazakhstan paid $2,400; and Tajikistan provided $234 to its veterans.  Given the Kremlin’s increasingly heavy-handed regulation of Russia’s media environment, this issue bears further monitoring to see if it gains traction among the Russian public and may provide some opening to combat the Kremlin’s domestic misinformation campaign.

Source:

Mikhail Sergeev, “Участники ВОВ в России получат в 9 раз меньше, чем в Узбекистане и Киргизии (Participants of the Second World War in Russia will receive 9 times less than in Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan),” Nezavisimaya Gazeta (semi-independent), 4 May 2022. https://www.ng.ru/economics/2022-05-04/100_e04052022_1.html

Comparison of veterans’ payments for Victory Day…On the anniversary of the Victory, participants in the Great Patriotic War living in the Donetsk People’s Republic, the Lugansk People’s Republic and the liberated territories of Ukraine will receive a one-time payment of 10,000 Russian rubles by decree of Russian President Vladimir Putin. The same amount will be received by veterans living in the territory of the Russian Federation. Annual payments for Victory Day in the amount of 10 thousand rubles were transferred to 20,320 veterans in the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Labor reported…

It is noteworthy that one-time payments to Russian veterans are many times less than similar assistance to their fellow soldiers living in the Asian republics of the former USSR…. In Uzbekistan, for example, war veterans, concentration camp prisoners and Leningrad blockade survivors will each receive 15 million soums (equivalent to 1,339 US dollars or more than 93,000 Russian rubles)…. In Kyrgyzstan, the veterans’ payment for Victory Day will amount to 100,000 soms ($1,209 or almost 85,000 Russian rubles)…. 

In Kazakhstan, the size of veterans’ payments for Victory Day varies depending on the region of residence and the special status of the recipient. Thus, veterans of the Great Patriotic War living in Nur-Sultan and Almaty will receive 1 million tenge (156 thousand Russian rubles) each, and in Aktobe – 2 million tenge (312 thousand Russian rubles).So the difference in the amount of veterans’ payments even increased this year. Last year, NG wrote that “soldiers living in Kazakhstan will receive 17 times more than their Russian fellow soldiers.” And today you can name another difference – 31 times more than in the Russian Federation….

Russia Tests R-441 Liven Satellite Communication in Ukraine

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R-441LM ‘Liven’ satellite communications vehicle.

R-441LM ‘Liven’ satellite communications vehicle.

R-441LM ‘Liven’ satellite communications vehicle.

R-441LM ‘Liven’ satellite communications vehicle.

“An analysis of the various nuances of the special military operation are yet to come, but experts are already noting that, along with other means, the Liven system has confirmed its relevance and effectiveness.”

“For the first time, the Russian military used the R-441 Liven satellite communication station in a combat situation. Its effectiveness was confirmed in the organization of communications among headquarters of the Russian military in Ukraine…“

The accompanying excerpted articles from Russian military-themed website Armeyskiy Standart  and weekly Russian newspaperwebsite Argumenty i Fakty describe the capabilities of the R-441 Liven satellite communication system.  Both articles clarify that the R-441 had its first use in combat conditions during Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, or as they call it the “special military operation.”  The R-441 is designed to provide SHF (S/C-band) satellite communications capabilities for the strategic- and operational-level headquarters of the Ground Forces and Aerospace Forces.  The first version of the R-441 was fielded in 1997 to replace the R-440 Kristall satellite communication system, which provided a similar capability.  Variants of the R-441 are located in the headquarters of Air and Air Defense Armies, Combined Arms Armies, and Military Districts.  The articles purport that the system has performed well, although they provide few details.

Sources:

Petr Nikolaev “Связующие нити «Ливня»: Система связи окружного и армейского звена управления получила станцию нового технического уровня (The Binding Threads of “Liven”: Military district and combined arms army command-level receive a communications system of a new technical level),” Armeyskiy Standart (Russian military themed website), 4 May 2022. https://armystandard.ru/news/20224271046-kIXen.html

…What are the main advantages of this station [Liven]? Firstly, versatility, it provides stable communications with any digital or analog radio relay stations and unified command and control vehicles. Liven’s navigation system automatically aims the satellite dish (diameter 1.8 meters)…

Secondly, it is more secure, and can operate in environments with electromagnetic interference…

…The R-441 crew (full manned-16 personnel, partially manned – 11 personnel) is able to deploy in 20-30 minutes in any climatic conditions. In addition, difficult terrain is not an obstacle for the system, which is especially important in the mountains…

A number of modifications of the R-441 “Liven-VM” complex have been created. Among them are R-441-LM (linear automobile station “Liven-LM”); R-441-OV (terminal automobile station “Liven-OV”); R-441-OZh (terminal railway station “Liven-OZh”); R-441-OK (terminal container station “Liven-OK”); and R-441-U (nodal automobile station “Liven -U”).

…It is powerful communication center that works autonomously in the field. Just like the stationary communication nodes at the strategic and operational levels, “Liven” provides mobile long-range multi-channel radio communications. The use of repeaters on artificial satellites makes it possible to cover vast distances without problems. For example, at a recent training session in the Amur Region, R-441 crews created a high-quality digital communication network spanning more than 400 kilometers.…An analysis of the various nuances of the special military operation are yet to come, but experts are already noting that, along with other means, the Liven system has confirmed its relevance and effectiveness. In general, the modern communications systems that have recently entered service significantly increase the throughput [bandwidth] and quality of communication channels, allowing commanders of various levels to successfully solve command and control tasks.

Source: Alexey Kozachenko, “Что за «военный роутер»: «Ливень» получил боевое применение на Украине? [What is a “military router”: Was “Liven” received for combat use in UkLivene?],” Argumenty i Fakty (Website of weekly Russian newspaper), 6 May 2022.

https://aif.ru/society/army/chto_za_voennyy_router_liven_poluchil_boevoe_primenenie_na_ukLivene

For the first time, the Russian military used the R-441 Liven satellite communication station in a combat situation. Its effectiveness was confirmed in the organization of communications among headquarters of the Russian military in Ukraine…

The main advantage of the R-441 is its versatility, it provides stable communications with any digital or analog radio relay stations and unified command and control vehicles. The system uses “Globus-1” and “Meridian” satellites, and is able to automatically direct the antenna to a specified satellite. The developers claim that Liven is ten times superior to similar radios in terms of closed signal security and the ability to work in contested electromagnetic interference environments.

In fact, these are powerful communication nodes, military routers of the strategic and operational level, which are capable of autonomous operation in any conditions, on any terrain and in any weather. The use of this system as repeaters of artificial satellites makes it possible to create communication links several hundred kilometers long.The primary mission of “Liven” is to provide the command of the military district with long-range multi-channel radio communications in the field, which allows commanders of various levels to successfully accomplish missions of command and control. The station allows you to maintain a stable telephone and telegraph communications with the ability to access civilian telephone numbers. The equipment of the complex creates protected secure signals, which no modern electronic warfare system is capable of silencing and jamming. One of the additional options of this machine is the ability to create a secure digital network of broadband wireless access.

Image Information:

Image: R-441LM ‘Liven’ satellite communications vehicle
Source: Vitaly Kuzmin, https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-8dhCKdD/0/X3/i-8dhCKdD-X3.jpg
Attribution: CC BY 4.0

Image: R-441LM ‘Liven’ satellite communications vehicle
Source: Vitaly Kuzmin, https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-3zvPTCM/0/O/i-3zvPTCM.jpg
Attribution: CC BY 4.0

Russia Shifting Wounded Servicemen to Recruitment Duties

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“… [T]he first rehabilitation and educational center has been created in the Russian Ministry of Defense, which will allow the wounded to continue their military service. The new center enables military personnel to prepare for a new type of service activity in military commissariats, military units, institutions and organizations…”

The accompanying excerpted article from Russia’s army newspaper Red Star discusses Russian plans to have severely wounded servicemen continue their military service in military commissariats.  In the Russian military system, military commissariats are primarily responsible for the biannual draft but also deal with voluntary enlisted accessions, reserve accessions, and certain aspects of national mobilization.  Therefore, military commissariat offices are located throughout the Russian Federation, much as U.S. military recruitment offices are scattered across the United States.  This move appears to reverse a reform made under previous Russian Defense Minister Anatoli Serdyukov, whereby billets in military commissariats that uniformed servicemen once manned became civil service positions.  Placing severely wounded soldiers in commissariats is noteworthy because it acknowledges the horrors of war, the numbers of wounded servicemen, and implies that the Russian government is not concerned about the public seeing these severely wounded servicemen.  To the contrary, some Russian commentators have proposed that these servicemen will raise the prestige of the work of the military commissariats.

Source:

Anton Alekseev, “Для раненых открываются новые перспективы (New opportunities for the wounded),” Red Star, (weekly newspaper of the Russian Army), 13 April 2022.  http://redstar.ru/dlya-ranenyh-otkryvayutsya-novye-perspektivy/

…The Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation, General of the Army Sergei Shoigu, decided to ensure the possibility of further military service for military personnel who were injured during a special military operation. To this end, a rehabilitation and educational center has been created on the basis of a military hospital, where, along with medical rehabilitation and prosthetics, those who wish can learn new military specialties. At the opening ceremony of the center, State Secretary – Deputy Minister of Defense Nikolai Pankov spoke with parting words and presented state awards to wounded servicemen who distinguished themselves during the special operation.

Currently, servicemen who were injured while performing combat missions of a special military operation, which led to restrictions on further military service for health reasons, are being treated in military hospitals of the Russian Ministry of Defense. Now the first rehabilitation and educational center has been created in the Russian Ministry of Defense, which will allow the wounded to continue their military service. The new center enables military personnel to prepare for a new type of service activity in military commissariats, military units, institutions and organizations of the Russian Ministry of Defense even at the stage of medical rehabilitation…

“First of all, I would like to fulfill the instructions of the Minister of Defense and convey to you words of gratitude for courage, bravery and bravery in the performance of military duty during a special military operation, wish you a speedy recovery and return to duty,” the Deputy Minister addressed the servicemen. – Army General Sergei Shoigu decided to ensure the possibility of further military service for all servicemen who were injured during the special operation. For each of you, a military position is being introduced in military commissariats, military units, institutions and organizations of the Russian Ministry of Defense…

Thus, the servicemen, after complete recovery and completion of qualification courses, will be sent for further service in military positions.  After the end of the ceremony, the first groups of servicemen who expressed a desire to learn a new military specialty went to classes…The training programs include, firstly, the basic part, which provides for the study of federal legislation and regulatory legal documents in the field of state defense and mobilization work, as well as the activities of military commissariats. The content of another important segment of training – the variable part – is aimed at training in the performance of duties for the position to which the serviceman is directly assigned.  At the end of the training, students will have a final assessment, which will take place in the form of an interview. Upon completion of the training, those who successfully mastered the program will be issued the relevant documents – certificates…

Sanctions Threaten Russia’s Arctic Energy Projects

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“Moscow’s war against Ukraine is having a large toll on one of the most remote parts of the planet. The region that over the past years has been a top priority for the Russian government is now about to face a serious economic setback.  Several of the new oil and gas projects, mines and infrastructure initiatives that until recently have been under development might now come to a grinding halt.”

According to the accompanying article from Norwegian independent news outlet The Barents Observer, the West’s economic measures against Russia will slow or stop most major Russian Arctic development projects.  Russia’s past response to Western sanctions has been to become more self-reliant, which requires financial outlays and time.  According to the article, Russia will find it difficult to acquire the partnerships and financing necessary to become self-reliant and continue its current pace of Arctic development.  Thus, Russian ambitions in the Arctic are certain to suffer in addition to all the other consequences Russia will face because of Putin’s decision to invade Ukraine.

Source:

Atle Staalesen, “Big Collapse looms Over Russian Arctic Policy,” The Barents Observer (Norwegian independent news source), 30 March 2022.  https://thebarentsobserver.com/en/industry-and-energy/2022/03/big-collapse-looms-over-russian-arctic-policy

Moscow’s war against Ukraine is having a large toll on one of the most remote parts of the planet.  The region that over the past years has been a top priority for the Russian government is now about to face a serious economic setback.  Several of the new oil and gas projects, mines and infrastructure initiatives that until recently have been under development might now come to a grinding halt.

Natural Gas Company Novatek confirmed that it will stop the development of its liquefied natural gas projects in the region.  It will only complete the first train of the Arctic LNG 2.  [An LNG train is a liquefied natural gas plants liquefaction and purification facility…].  According to original plans, the project’s first train is to come into production in 2023 and deliver 6.6 million tons of LNG to the market.  The project train number two and three that were to be ready in 2024 and 2025 respectively will be postponed.  The announcement comes after French project partner Total made clear that it is halting all new investmentsin Russia.  Other international oil and gas companies have made similar announcements.  Among them are Baker Hughes, Halliburton and Schlumberger.

Novatek is fully dependent on Western technology to follow up its major Arctic LNG projects. Both the Yamal LNG and the Arctic LNG were built with foreign equipment provided by companies such as Linde, Siemens and Baker Hughes.  Ship traffic data indicate that there is still a high level of activity around the Arctic LNG 2 project port of Utrenneye.  This week, two nuclear-powered icebreakers escorted cargo vessels to site….

The new western sanctions against Russia will affect also several other industrial projects.  State oil company Rosneft is in the process of developing what is due to become the biggest oil project ever in the Arctic, and is dependent on western technology to build both infrastructure and ice-class tankers.   Also the investment basis of the project is now also increasing unclear as project partner Trafigura Group says that it is “reviewing its shareholding in Vostok Oil LLC.”

The Vostok Oil includes the building of 13 gas and oil fields in the remote Taymyr tundra and the annual production of more than 100 million tons by 2030.

On the Russian Arctic agenda is also the building of several mines, among them the Syradasaysky coal project in Taymyr.  This project is dependent on western tech, at least for the building of ice-class bulk carriers that can export the coal.

Ship traffic data indicate that there is still a high level of activity around the project seaport of Yenisei, despite the difficult ice conditions in the area.

As industrial projects come to a halt, Russia will not be able to meet its ambitious plans for Arctic shipping.  The objective set by President Putin in 2018 is the annual shipments of at least 80 million tons of goods on the Northern Sea Route by 2024.

The country’s Minister of the Far East and Arctic Aleksei Chekunkov during a visit to Murmansk in early March told local media that the objectives remain unchanged.  But he appears to shut his eyes for the ongoing developments that is about to fully isolate Russia in international relations and trade.

It is now increasingly unclear also whether Russia will be able to meet its plan on nuclear icebreaker construction.  The country intends to build a fleet of up to six LK-60 icebreakers in the course of the decade, as well as the super-powerful Lider.  But the Baltic and Zvezda shipyards will hardly be able to complete construction without western technology.

The Russian government in 2018 presented a 5-year plan for Arctic developments that included investment up to 5.5 trillion rubles by year 2024 and 13.5 trillion rubles by 2050.  That document now appears like nothing but a piece of paper.

In addition to the standstill in its grand industrial projects, Russia is blocked in international bodies of regional cooperation.  Russia expected dividends from its two-year presidency in the Arctic Council and planned as many as a 88 various events.The Ukraine fighting affects the plans and projections and the subsequent halt in international Arctic cooperation.  On March 4, the Arctic Council announced that it had decided to “pause all official meetings of the Council and its subsidiary bodies until further notice.”  The Barents Council followed with the same decision.

Russian Culture Ministry Proposes Possible Framework for New State Ideology

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“… In general, the document, with a certain interpretation, limits the rights and freedoms of a person prescribed in the Constitution, dictating both the way of thinking and the way of life.”

Even though the Russian constitution states that “no ideology may be established as state or obligatory,” the current Kremlin leadership continues to advance the parameters of a possible official state ideology.  The first excerpt from Russia’s official news agency, TASS, describes how the Ministry of Culture has submitted for public discussion the Fundamentals of State Policy for the Preservation and Strengthening of Traditional Russian Spiritual and Moral Values.  The article reports this proposed draft policy document “refers to a number of traditional values ​​(e.g., life, dignity, human rights and freedoms, patriotism, citizenship, service to the Fatherland…, high moral ideals, a strong family, creative work, the priority of the spiritual over the material…),” designed to strengthen Russia.  Besides listing these aspirational values, the document also identifies the dangers facing modern Russia, calling out “threats to traditional values [to include]… extremist and terrorist organizations, the actions of the United States and its allies, transnational corporations, and foreign non-profit organizations.”

The second excerpt from an editorial in the mostly independent Nezavisimaya Gazeta questions the value of such a document, suggesting that it “is reminiscent of the ideological practices of the times of the USSR.”  As this article points out, just as in Soviet times, the new document makes “it necessary for citizens to see an ideological enemy everywhere and oppose personal interests to state interests.”  The article concludes by asserting that this proposed policy “limits the rights and freedoms of a person prescribed in the Constitution, dictating both the way of thinking and the way of life.”  While this proposed document is designed to guide those involved with cultural pursuits, its impact may ultimately be felt throughout Russian society should the Kremlin approve it.

Source:

“Основы госполитики по сохранению традиционных ценностей обсудят с экспертами (Fundamentals of state policy for the preservation of traditional values ​​will be discussed with experts),” TASS (official news agency), 25 January 2022. https://tass.ru/kultura/13522119

The published version of the Fundamentals of State Policy for the Preservation and Strengthening of Traditional Russian Spiritual and Moral Values ​​is not final, the proposals will be discussed at the platforms of the upper and lower houses of parliament, in the Public Chamber of the Russian Federation and in other instances…. 

In the current version, the document, posted on the federal portal of draft regulatory legal acts, refers to the number of traditional values ​​“life, dignity, human rights and freedoms, patriotism, citizenship, service to the Fatherland and responsibility for its destiny, high moral ideals, a strong family, creative work, the priority of the spiritual over the material, humanism, mercy, justice, collectivism, mutual assistance and mutual respect, historical memory and the continuity of generations, the unity of the peoples of Russia.” Threats to traditional values, according to the authors of the project, “bears the activities of extremist and terrorist organizations, the actions of the United States and its allies, transnational corporations, foreign non-profit organizations….”

Source: “Минкультуры возвращает россиян во времена СССР (The Ministry of Culture returns Russians to Soviet times),” Nezavisimaya Gazeta (mostly independent Russian media outlet), 27 January 2022. https://www.ng.ru/editorial/2022-01-27/2_8357_editorial.html

Is it necessary for citizens to see an ideological enemy everywhere and oppose personal interests to state interests?

A draft presidential decree “Fundamentals of State Policy for the Preservation and Strengthening of Traditional Russian Spiritual and Moral Values” developed by the Ministry of Culture has been submitted for public discussion. The document is intended to clarify the concept of traditional values ​​within the framework of the National Security Strategy approved by the President….

… The threat to these values, according to the authors of the document, is “the activities of extremist and terrorist organizations, the actions of the United States and its allies, transnational corporations, foreign non-profit organizations.” The document notes “the ideological and psychological impact on the citizens of Russia”, and this destructive ideology includes “the cult of selfishness, permissiveness, immorality, the denial of the ideals of patriotism, service to the Fatherland, procreation, creative labor, Russia’s positive contribution to world history and culture…”

… All this is reminiscent of the ideological practices of the times of the USSR. Then the citizens were also designated the image of the enemy and demanded that they meet “high criteria….”  The personal is opposed to the public: the primary are the needs of the state (serving the Fatherland), while the private (the cult of selfishness) are secondary.… In general, the document, with a certain interpretation, limits the rights and freedoms of a person prescribed in the Constitution, dictating both the way of thinking and the way of life.

Kremlin Using Education Policy To Foster Approval of Its “Special Military Operation” in Ukraine

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“The children of the soldiers who died in the special operation in Ukraine will be able to study free of charge at the Russian State Social University (RGSU).” 

Alongside its extensive media arsenal to maintain public support for the “special military operation” in Ukraine, the Kremlin has also mobilized its educational system.  As the first excerpt from the Moscow regional source M24 points out, children of Russian service personnel who have died fighting in this operation “will be able to study free of charge at the Russian State Social University (RGSU).”  The article posits that this education initiative might expand to include the “country’s leading universities, [which] will support our initiative and accept educational certificates from the RGSU as an exchange basis for free education.”  Meanwhile, the Ministry of Education (MoE) continues to develop mandatory courses for school-aged children to ensure that they understand the Kremlin’s narrative surrounding this operation.  In addition to grasping the Kremlin’s historical justification (see: “Teaching Russian School Children about Ukraine,” OE Watch, April 2022), the brief excerpt from the pro-business site Kommersant describes how the MoE has now developed school lessons covering both Western sanctions and import substitution.  The article stresses that “the teacher should show Russia’s ability to overcome the negative consequences of Western countries’ sanctions pressure on the economic sphere of our society.” According to the article, “teachers should tell children about the benefits of import substitution,” and how this program will strengthen the Russian economy.  The article concludes by citing economic experts asked to gauge the effectiveness of such lessons.  One skeptical expert commented, “in the summer, or certainly in the fall, the children will come home and see for themselves that the family has no money, that there is no way to buy any goods.”

Source:

“Дети погибших в спецоперации на Украине военных получат бесплатное образование в РГСУ (Children of soldiers who died in a special operation in Ukraine will receive free education at the RGSU),” M24.ru (Moscow based regional news outlet), 26 March 2022. https://www.m24.ru/news/obrazovanie/26032022/444852

The children of the soldiers who died in the special operation in Ukraine will be able to study free of charge at the Russian State Social University (RGSU). This was reported on the official website of the university….

…The university expressed the hope that other Russian universities would also support the initiative, since the children of the military who died during the special operation may have different educational plans, including specialties that the RGSU does not teach.

“In such cases, we expect that other Russian state educational institutions chosen by them, including the country’s leading universities, will support our initiative and accept educational certificates from the RGSU as an exchange basis for free education,” the Russian State Social University concluded.

Source: Anna Vasilyeva, Maria Starikova, Olga Nikitina; Vlad Nikiforov, Alexander Dremlyugin,“Школам завезли антисанкционки (Anti-sanctions brought to schools),” Kommersant (Russian pro-business news media), 5 April 2022. https://www.kommersant.ru/doc/5293728

As it became known to Kommersant, Russian schools received new recommendations on conducting special lessons against the backdrop of a “special military operation” in Ukraine. This time, teachers should organize classes for students in grades 5–9 and 10–11 on the topic “Anti-Russian sanctions and their impact on the domestic economy.” In the training manual, this “influence” is presented as rather positive – schoolchildren will be told about the growth in the share of Russian products in several areas, and then they will be asked to assess which countries will suffer large economic losses from sanctions…. 

…As stated in the training manual, the teacher should “show Russia’s ability to overcome the negative consequences of Western countries’ sanctions pressure on the economic sphere of our society, give an idea of ​​the main directions of the anti-sanctions policy in the Russian Federation.” Teachers should tell children about the benefits of import substitution….

“The lesson materials invite schoolchildren to familiarize themselves with the measures taken by the president and the government to counter sanctions from unfriendly countries,” the Ministry of Education told Kommersant….

…Kommersant asked economists to comment on the manual. Natalya Zubarevich, a specialist in the field of socio-economic development of the regions, refused to study it. “Why should I read these manuals? And so it is clear that we will lose the most advanced technological industries,” she told Kommersant. “In the summer, or certainly in the fall, the children will come home and see for themselves that the family has no money, that there is no way to buy any goods.”