Report from the Chief of the Main Operational Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces Andrei Kartapolov on the cruise missiles launch

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From Fort Russ

October 7, 2015
Ministry of Defense of Russian Federation

Cruise missile strikes held from the south-west part of the Caspian Sea against militants in Syria have been agreed on by Russia and its partners beforehand. This was stated today by the Chief of the Main Operational Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces Colonel General Andrei Kartapolov.

Andrei Kartapolov told that on October 5-6, the Russian reconnaissance had discovered a number of important objects of militants, which were to be destroyed immediately and explained that their engagement had been decided to be carried out with the use of long-range cruise missiles.

He emphasized that the cruise missile strikes had been agreed on with the Russian partners beforehand.

Andrei Kartapolov also reminded that the Russian party had already announced its “plans to build-up the intensiveness of strikes against the ISIS and Jabhat al-Nusra objects”.

Andrei Kartapolov mentioned that in order to provide security for civil population, the flight corridor for cruise missiles had been planned over uninhabited areas. The strikes engaged plants producing ammunition and explosives, command centres, storages of munitions, armament and POL as well as a training camp of terrorists on the territory of the Raqqah, Idlib and Aleppo.

According to him, engagement of these facilities reduces the mobility of militants and deprives them of the ability to perform heinous terrorist attacks.

Missile ships Dagestan, Grad Sviyazhsk, Veliky Ustyug and Uglich performed the launches.

All the assigned targets have been engaged.

During his meeting with journalists, Andrei Kartapolov stressed that all the targets had been properly analyzed using the data received from space and radio reconnaissance, communications interception, and photos made by UAVs. Data collected by intelligence of Syria, Iran and Iraq, including human intelligence, was also used.

He also explained that the strikes were carried out only against verified targets. Each strike is preceded by a long and thorough preparation.

The special file on each facility is prepared before the strike.

Andrei Kartopolov said that the final decision on elimination of targets was made only after the analysis of all the data and computer simulation of the strikes. Aviation targeting was made according to the same algorithm.

He stressed that modern high-accuracy munitions were used in Syria. High-accuracy engagement is reached by complex use of such munitions with hi-tech armament systems.

Andrei Kartopolov stated that the maximum deviation did not exceed 5 metres.

He also noted that Russia had repeatedly cancelled strikes against the terrorists “just because they left their bases and camps and sheltered as a rule in inhabited areas and in close proximity to religious institutions”.

Andrei Kartapolov mentioned that nevertheless, the Russian Armed Forces were being accused of hitting civilian facilities and mosques.

He stressed with full responsibility that objects situated in inhabited areas were not considered as targets.

According to Andrei Kartapolov, Russia suggested its partners to share locations of the “Islamic State” objects but there was still no answer.

Andrei Kartapolov stated that it shows that either the partners did not have the coordinates or they did not want us to make strikes against ISIS; the reason remained unclear.

http://fortruss.blogspot.com/2015/10/update-from-chief-of-main-operational.html

The balkanization of Russia – has it begun?

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From Fort Russ

October 10th, 2015 –
By Ilia Belous – iliabelous –
Translated for Fort Russ by Inessa Sinchougova –.

[In his address to PolitRussia Belous’s position is that by 2018, every federal region in Russia is going to need its own ‘Putin.’ Foreign NGOs such as the National Endowment for Democracy have recently been outlawed in Russia due to covert activities being undertaken through them. Such activities continue however, through official US embassies.- I. Sinchougova]

Some interesting details surrounding the new General Consul to Ekaterinburg have unfolded. Russia’s Ural region has recently received Mr. Marcus Micheli, as representative of the USA – a package deal with his unfavourable working experience in the Ukraine. His posting to the region does not seem to be accidental, once the details surrounding his prior activities are brought to light.

After my original publication about the new General Consul to Ekaterinburg, a number of my astute readers recognized the name as someone who used to be employed by the United States National Security Council, with Ukraine as his area of specialization. His duties included lobbying for sanctions against the Russian economy, as well as the arrangement of funding toward Poroshenko’s army.

Let me start at the beginning.

In August 2014, two political pranksters by the names of Vladimir Krasnov and Aleksei Stoliarov (most recently pranking Elton John in his conversation with ‘Putin’), were involved in a covert investigation over the imposition of Mikhail Saakashvili to the seat of Governor in Odessa, Ukraine. The pranksters, implanted into the existing administration, had asked Mr. Saakashvii to release the names of his contacts in the US Department of State.

The pranksters, through a number of clever moves and handshakes, managed to convince the runaway-Georgian ex-president in the genuine nature of their discussion with him. Mr. Saakashvilli gave the name of Senator John McCain as his advisor.

As part of this operation, and with Saakashvili’s exclusive contact details, Mr. Aleksei Stoliarov, posing as Mr. Arsen Avakov (Ukraine’s Minister of Internal Affairs and Poroshenko’s right hand man) spoke to Mr. Marcus Micheli. This took place at the end of 2014, but it is not until Mr. Micheli was on his way to be the General Consul to Ekaterinbrug, that the pranksters forwarded me the recording. (August 2015).

In his conversation with “Mr. Avakov”, Mr. Micheli speaks in his role as colleague of the esteemed professor of International Relations, Charles Kupchan (formerly at Georgetown University.) Mr. Kupchan is also Director of European Affairs at the US National Security Council.

The National Security Council is the department responsible for their detailed recommendations toward sanctions against the Russian economy. Through this use of sanctions, Kupchan had personally invited the world to isolate the Russian economy on the official Council website. He emphasized that the situation in Ukraine will provoke internal pressure on President Putin. The use of sanctions was, in his eyes, a suitable strategy to weaken the Russian state.

The commentary was dated 29 August 2014, from the office of National Security Council Press Secretary – Caitlin Hayden, just prior to President Obama’s visit to Estonia and Wales on the 2^nd and 4^th September 2014. It is known that Charles Kupchan oversees the events in Europe at large, while Micheli those in Ukraine.

Micheli is well versed with the region, his work experience dates back to his postings to Moscow between 1992 and 1994, as well as between 2002 and 2004. Between 1994-1996 he was located in Warsaw; 1996-1999 in Kiev; 2000-2001 in Sarajevo; 2007–2009 in Podgorica, 2009-2012 in Kishinev.

Team Kupchan is also well connected to Hillary Clinton. Mr. Saakashvilli was quoted as saying, that these people are the more influential of his advisors in Washington.

The conversation between prankster Stoliarov and Kupchan’s office took place one week after Petro Poroshenko’s address in the United States Congress.

Aleksei Stoliarov did not reach Kupchan in the office when he called, but instead landed in the hands of his accomplice Mr. Micheli, who without a doubt in his mind assumed Minister Avakov was on the other end. In the conversation, Mikeli openly discussed increased funding toward the armament of Petro Poroshenko’s army against the resistance movements in the country’s east – the Donbass. Micheli was well positioned to speak on this topic, as it was him who was lobbying the US State Department towards armament.

A little earlier than that, in May 2014, the US government had provided $1 billion dollars for the initial armament of Poroshenko’s army. The first allocation of weaponry did not go to plan – Kiev’s army had been surrounded by the DPR militia, formerly ordinary residents of the Donbass. They had no choice but to release much of the US funded weaponry to the self organised militias of the Donbass region. In this way, the new wave of mobilization required more funding. In September 2014, the Ukrainian authorities received another $320 million dollars.

Poroshenko then, was not lying in his address in the 70^th session of the General Assembly of the United Nations, where he said that “the war in Ukraine costs $5 million dollars a day.” With this calculation in mind, the $1 billion should have lasted 200 days, or around 6 months. This is as accurate as clockwork, with the first batch in May 2014 and second in November 2014.

Today, Marcus Micheli is a well-known lobbyist and an influential person in the White House. Why is he in Ekaterinburg? While I have no insight into the workings of the White House, I do have the following information for us to ponder over.

Ekaterinburg is known for being a target location of the US State Department for the preparation of a social movement
The State Department has been involved in Ekaterinburg for over 20 years in one way or another – creating an active network of agents that consist of local opposition, some of which are in the elite/ moneyed ranks.
An orchestrated and predetermined weakening of the region’s economy seems to provide sufficient reasoning toward the launch of an opposition movement here
Micheli has spent his entire working career in Europe, including a stint during a colour revolution, when he was part of the US diplomatic mission to Moldova 2009, “the twitter revolution.”
As part of his role in the National Council on Security, Micheli directly oversaw the allocation of funds for Poroshenko’s army, toward the war in the Donbass. A graphically – offensive video of fire against civilians — is available here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLvqPnWTBm0
Upon his arrival in Ekaterinbrug, it is known to me that Micheli began networking with those individuals that I would consider to be a part of the ‘5^th column.’ (Any group of people who undermine a larger group—such as a nation—from within, usually in favor of an enemy group or nation.)

The totality of this information together leads me to believe that the US State Department’s interest toward Russia’s regions, especially that of the Ural region, is growing by the day.

Be vigilant, my friends.

This information has been forwarded to the FSB, through their official channel.

http://www.fortruss.blogspot.com/2015/10/fsb-leak-balkanization-of-russia-has-it.html

Interview with Igor Plotnitsky, head of Lugansk People’s Republic, on the future and the present

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From Fort Russ

October 15, 2015 –
RusVesna –
Translated for Fort Russ by J. Arnoldski

“Igor Plotnitsky: If the people of the LPR’s will is to vote for joining Russia, we won’t oppose this – exclusive interview with head of the republic for ‘Russian Spring’”

A “Russian Spring” correspondent, along with his colleague from “Ukraina.ru”, Aleksandr Chalenko, chatted with the head of the Lugansk People’s Republic about the prospects of LPR’s integration with Russia and the forthcoming issuing of Russian passports.

In September, on the website of the Lugansk Information Center, the head of the Perevalsky district of the LPR, Vitaly Mikhailov, said that he was approached by residents of the district with the idea of creating a movement for the accession of LPR to Russia. What is your attitude towards this initiative? How would you respond to a possible plebiscite if Lugansk residents initiated it?

Government is primarily an instrument which the people not only can, but are obliged to use. If the people have such a wish, if the people are ready and want to carry out such a will and express their view point, I, as the person who ensures the will of the people and acts as its guarantor, say: We will certainly support it. A plebiscite demonstrates for us what the people want, which ideas they support, and which paths they see for the further development of our republics.

That is, you don’t deny the possibility of such a plebiscite?

If the people want it, I simply don’t have the right to deny such a possibility.

In your speech in Lugansk at the opening of the round table “The path of the integration of Donbass into Russia,” you revealed the latest sociological data which reveals that the number of citizens of the LPR who have the desire for the republic to become part of Russia has increased three times from 20% to 60% in the past year and a half. Can it be said that the majority of Lugansk residents want to join Russia, and that you personally support this aspiration?

As a person, I don’t only support it, but I fully share this desire, because it was not born here and now, but was born much earlier. Unfortunately, the situation in which we now find ourselves makes most people, even those who never thought about it before, choose this.

The people of Lugansk used to live well. Russia here or Ukraine there – they didn’t think about it. But today, after all the well-known bloody events and the point of no return, the people already don’t see and don’t feel themselves to be part of Ukraine. The people understand very well who is a brother and who is an enemy, who lends a friendly hand, and who trips them.

Therefore, if the people wish, we will necessarily try to learn the will of the people. Everyone can express their opinion on the republic’s integration into Russia.

Can you confirm or deny information about the issuing of Russian passports in the LPR? If this will happen, will issuing points be opened or will they be given out in a different way?

First of all, the Russian Federation must clearly express its wish to issue passports to the citizens of the LPR and DPR, and there are many on the territory of the LPR and DPR who very much wish to obtain Russian passports.

Yesterday, when crossing the Russian-Lugansk border, we saw long lines of cars and trucks. Does the LPR plan to appeal to the Russian Federation to open additional border crossing points?

Why plan to open additional crossing points, when we have a common territory with Russia of more than 700 kilometers. We should at least return our northern areas, and we will have a sufficient number of crossing points.

Therefore, are you implying that there will be an offensive?

I am saying that we will not leave our territories and our people under occupation.

In one interview, you noted that many people who were never in Donbass during the war constantly speak and write about the “ditching of Novorossiya.” You aptly termed them “couch kittens.”

Usually, I call couch kittens those people who don’t want to see reality, and they feed on the negative which doesn’t exist in reality, but only in virtual reality. The negative only lives on the internet. These are common fantasies which have no relation to reality. They confuse reality with fantasies.

In the olden days, it was said that “anyone who has ever walked around a house is smarter than one who lays by the hearth.” In order to confirm or refute one or another view, if people have such a desire, the LPR border is always open. I want to say to these couch kittens, whoever wants to find out what’s in fact happening here: come and see.

But if you were never here, and you undertake a discussion of what’s happening here, for example, about how our political situation is developing – this is wrong.

You only confuse minds with baseless statements.

Developing this topic, many heads of regions in Russia in which there were problems, like in Ingushetia and Chechnya, invited bloggers to their republics. After visiting these territories, their opinions changed. How open is Lugansk for such citizen journalists?

It is not simply open – it was always open the entire time. Everything is voluntary here, even joining the Armed Forces of the LPR. How can we limit the desire of people to come here and see everything? Just look and draw your own conclusions – how we live here, what we’re fighting against, whom we are fighting against, what we stand for, and what we aspire to. We will always joyfully receive such people.

And Ukrainian journalists can come?

They can come and they do come. But few come.

You have been head of the LPR for almost a year. State building has been going on here for already a year. Is Makhnovshhcina [a reference to the chaos and disorganization characteristic of Ukrainian anarchist groups in the Russian Civil War aligned with Nestor Makhno – J. Arnoldski] over in the republic?

This depends on what you mean by the term “Makhnovshchina.” If you remember history, Makhno at first helped the Reds and was even awarded one of the first orders of the Red Banner.

In a sense, Makhnovshchina was in the LPR in the very beginning. We had separate groups of volunteers who at their own risk protected the borders of the republic. But now we already don’t have this Makhnovshchina.

Now, we have a united army, which is fully equipped, in which fighters are carrying out collaborative exercises, and different kinds of troops have already “clicked” together in carrying out these collaborative exercises.

Many journalists were there and saw at what stage the construction of the Armed Forces of the LPR is at. There is no more Makhnovshchina.

And how is peaceful construction going?

There is a big difference between speaking and seeing, and if you have a few extra hours, I recommend that you go and see – I’m not afraid to use the word – the construction site of national significance. In this case, I mean the Elizavetinsky reservoir. We want to give water to two cities – Krasnaya Lucha and Antratsita. You will see the enthusiasm of the builders and the amount of work we’ve done. This is our Suez canal, the construction of which will give our people the opportunity to get through winter, and also 20,000 cubic meters reversed back from Alchevsk. Bryanka, Stakhanov, and Perevalsk will receive additional water.

In autumn, we will be able to supply all power and get through winter normally, no longer afraid that when the Ukrainians will start more shelling, that we will have a humanitarian catastrophe. Yes, we still won’t have enough water for full volume, but it will already be our water, the supply of which will not depend on someone else’s desires, but rather on our own hands and a willingness to labor, work, and recover.

You have been sanctioned by the Ukrainian side. How do you respond to this?

And what about sanctions?

You are not allowed to enter the territory of Ukraine, to get an education, to be treated…Are you very upset?

I graduated from school in Ukraine, and received my first higher education in Russia, and second in Ukraine.

You know, some people confuse education with culture.

Secondly, today the education system is so mobile, that people can get an education being in an entirely different countries.

The question here is different: what can current Ukrainian teachers teach? The basics of new, Maidan “democracy?” The basics of a new history which tells of the Banderite “heroes,” thus forcing us to forget our grandfathers and great-grandfathers who lie in graves, and whose monuments are being taken down by these new Ukrainian “teachers” while they burn books and pit languages and cultures that cannot and must not fight against themselves? In Ukraine today, I have nothing to learn.

And hatred – this is the class which doesn’t require exercises. It would be better to teach mercy and forgiveness.

In Kiev, they recently celebrated the birthday of Lugansk – 220 years. Someone had the right idea – let them get used to the fact that Lugansk will soon be in Kiev.

You once said that there will be no Minsk-3, but maybe only a new cauldron. Poroshenko is doing everything in order to not fulfill the Minsk Agreements. What is their perspective and destiny in this case?

If earlier we spoke about a new cauldron, then now I am convinced that if Ukraine will leave the Minsk format, then a new cauldron awaits it, and final and unconditional surrender.

Therefore, so as to avoid the worst for Ukraine – collapse and surrender – let them use the opportunity that the international community headed by Russia has given them.

Ukraine should think again and make a life for the people which is acceptable, and do what the people, and not the oligarchs, want.

http://fortruss.blogspot.com/2015/10/plotnitsky-final-and-unconditional.html

Ukrainian National Academy of Science journal publishes the truth about Donbass. Panic ensues.

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From Fort Russ

Panic in Kiev: A scientific journal published a “separatist” article on genocide of residents of Donbass by the Ukrainian Armed Forces

Original headline

Antifascist
October 12, 2015

October 14, 2015
Translated from Russian by Tom Winter

Panic in Kyiv: A scientific journal of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (NANU) has published a “separatist” article about the genocide of the residents of Donbass by the VSU.

The Ukrainian Banderized public is in a state of shock. In Kiev, they called it unprecentented betrayal. The National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine is disgraced, having dared to suspect Ukraine’s valiant armed forces of genocide against the population of Donbass. And they not only suspected, but they dared to release an article on this subject with, so to speak, absolutely “separatist” content.

{Inset in Russian text from a Ukrainian paper: “Some Putinist name of Lopata scribbled up some garbage about the genocide of Donbass, and she even called The Revolution of Dignity a coup.”}

So, at least, say a number of pro-regime Ukrainian media, starting with Oksana Onishchenko in the “Weekly Mirror” in her column from the department of education, science, medicine and the environment.

Onishchenko, on her Facebook page, denounced the terrible “crime” committed by a candidate of jurisprudence A. Lopata, who dared to openly publish, in the magazine of the National Academy of Sciences, a “separatist” and propagandist article, which calls into question the essence of “The Revolution of Dignity,” according to Onishchenko and the Ukrainian press, which has been blossoming with typical and predictable headlines.

In fact, the other day a scientific academic journal of NANU, “Sociology: theory, methods, marketing,” published an article by master of laws A. Lopata: “Lugansk: the hot summer of 2014,” in which the author dares to “wrongly” interpret the triumph of the “The Revolution of Dignity” and accuses the APU of the genocide of the people of Donbass.

According to the scientist, this revolution was nothing more than a coup.

“Huge amounts of money were spread around in it, and not just those Nuland cookies … Its main participants were outcasts from across the country, who, in fact, had nothing to lose. The outcasts very much wanted to take the property not just from “Donetskis”, but also from “Kievskis”, “Lvivskis”, “Rivnenskis” and others,” wrote, in particular, the author of the scientific publication.

In addition, Lopata qualified the war in the Donbass as the genocide of the people in the east of the country by the army of Ukraine. “Today, the population of Donbass en masse is being systematically, and brutally destroyed by the Armed Forces and the National Guard of Ukraine, including through means and methods of warfare that are prohibited by international law,” – wrote A. Lopata.

The author also points out that “the authorities of the country have made a decision to urgently direct the entire Maidan “fuel” material to Eastern Ukraine;” and that “there is no aggression of Russia against Ukraine, but instead there is a US war with Russia in Donbass “to the last Ukrainian.”

The horror that seized the properly patriotic (svidomized) media yesterday was shared today by Ukraine’s Ministry of Education. Its Certifying Authority immediately instructed the NANU publication board to investigate the journal “Sociology: theory, methods, marketing” for compliance with the criteria that apply to the specialized scientific journals.

The reason for the inquest is “a great disturbance in the academic community and the media caused by the publication in the proceedings of the” round table “held in Luhansk on January 9 this year, entitled” Lugansk: hot summer of 2014″ in the form of an article by master of laws A. Lopata. “

“The Ministry of Education and Science is sure: The ideological cliches of a neighboring aggressor-state published in this article have nothing to do with scientific discourse. We believe that the tragic events in the Crimea and the Donbass should be subject to rigorous academic study, but such cannot work at the “round table” held in the occupied territory, where there are no opportunities for the expression of free thought “- they sniffed at the Ministry.

The ministry added that the authors of numerous appeals to the Ministry of Education and Science “see in the actions of the magazine not only an insult to tens of millions of Ukrainians, but also a flagrant violation of the principles of scientific ethics.”

“I ask the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, the absolute majority of whose workers exhibit a clear patriotic position, to give the proper scientific, professional and civic assessment of the aforementioned publication, its author, and editorial offices that put it together” – ordered the head of the Ministry, Sergei Kvit.

There is no doubt that following up on Minister Kvit, the SBU will be interested in the publication of the material, and the researcher will be subjected to brutal violence, and well, if it would cost only dismissal, rather than arrest followed by a long prison term. The courage of the man it is impossible not to admire. These people inspire a timid hope that the healing of Ukraine from its Banderist poisoning, sooner or later, but, ultimately, is inevitable.

http://www.fortruss.blogspot.com/2015/10/a-journal-of-ukrainian-national-academy.html

US airdrops 50 tons of ammo to ‘rebels’ after ISIS loses most supplies in Russian airstrikes

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What will happen when these ‘ISIS’/’rebel’ fighters realize that they are pawns, cannon fodder, playthings, and expendable to John McCain, Joe Biden, the U.S., and the ‘coalition’ partners?

By Stuart Hooper

Global Research, October 15, 2015

21st Century Wire 13 October 2015

Who exactly is going to get their hands on those 50 tons of munitions?

The Russian Defence Ministry has reported that “Russian airstrikes resulted in the elimination of the majority of ISIS ammunition, heavy vehicles and equipment.“

This joins numerous other positive reports on the Russian intervention, where we hear 40% of the terrorists’ infrastructure has been eliminated and the launch of cruise missiles caused an exodus among the ranks of ISIS.

Despite cancelling their ‘rebel’ training program, the US has now airdropped 50 tons of ammunition for smalls arms, along with grenades, into the ISIS hotbed of Northern Syria.

http://www.globalresearch.ca/us-airdrops-50-tons-of-ammo-to-rebels-after-isis-loses-most-supplies-in-russian-airstrikes/5482074

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Russia’s tiny missile ships pack powerful punch — U.S. military expert

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From Sputnik News
October 11, 2015

The 26 cruise missiles launched at terrorist positions in Syria by four small Russian warships of the Caspian Fleet have raised many an admiring eyebrow in the West, including that of US journalist and military expert David Axe.

“The raid shocked foreign observers — not the least because the ships involved were so … tiny,” Axe wrote on his War Is Boring website on Saturday.“One of the biggest surprises for Russia-watchers was the small size of the ships that launched the missiles — 1,000-ton ships. That’s really small,”

David Axe cited Eric Wertheim, author of Combat Fleets of the World guidebook.
According to Wertheim, Russian naval design philosophy has always emphasized firepower.”

Russian Long-Range Cruise Missiles ‘Particular Challenge’ for US Defense

“But it’s worth noting that the four ships that launched the cruise missiles are all in the landlocked Caspian Sea. They don’t deploy anywhere, so they don’t need fuel and living spaces for long voyages,” he wrote.

According to the Russian Defense Ministry, the attacking ships were Dagestan, Grad Sviyazhsk, Veliky Ustyug and Uglich.

The latter three are Buyan-class missile boats, 203 feet long and displace 950 tons of water. Dagestan is a 335-foot, 1,900-ton Gepard-class frigate.

All four ships entered service in just the last few years.

“For perspective, bear in mind that the smallest US Navy surface warship to possess an equivalent weapon, the Tomahawk cruise missile, is an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer that’s 500 feet long and displaces 9,000 tons. And America’s Littoral Combat Ship frigates, which displace 3,000 tons, carry only small, short-range missiles,” David Axe wrote in a comment.

http://sputniknews.com/us/20151011/1028354019.html

Moscow wants explanation: has UK cleared RAF pilots to shoot down Russian jets?

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From Sputnik News
10-11-15

The Russian Embassy in London has requested the UK Foreign Office’s clarifications on media reports of the alleged British leadership’s decision to enable UK pilots participating in anti-ISIL coalition’s airstrikes to shoot down Russian planes over Iraq.

Earlier, a UK defense source told the Daily Star Sunday tabloid that British and NATO pilots reportedly had been given a clearance to shoot down Russian jets over Iraq.UK defense sources stressed that RAF pilots have been told to avoid contact with Russian jets “at all costs,” but warned the pilots must be prepared to attack Russian jets “if their lives depend on it.”

“We are concerned by media reports as far as they refer to senior members of the Cabinet. We urgently requested UK Foreign Office’s clarifications. At the same time, the hypothesis itself of a potential conflict between British and Russian aircraft in the skies over Iraq is incomprehensible. As it is known, the Russian jets are not involved in attacks on ISIL targets on its [Iraqi] territory”, Russian Ambassador in the UK Alexander Yakovenko told RIA Novosti.

Russia launched precision airstrikes against Islamic State targets in Syria last week at the request of Syrian President Bashar Assad. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow had not received any requests from Baghdad to carry out airstrikes against ISIL targets in Iraq.The Royal Air Force’s (RAF) Tornado combat aircraft are said to be equipped with up to four Advanced Short Range Air-to-Air Missiles (ASRAAM) to shoot down a Russian jet they encounter. The 2,300-miles-per-hour missiles with warheads filled with 22 pounds of high explosive lock onto targets using an infrared heat-seeker.

British Defense Secretary Michael Fallon said earlier he was seeking to extend RAF’s anti-ISIL efforts in Iraq to Syria.A US-led coalition of 60 nations has been conducting anti-ISIL airstrikes in Iraq and Syria for over a year, bypassing the UN Security Council’s and Assad’s approval.

Yakovenko also said that British aircraft were not involved in the coalition strikes against ISIL in Syria.

“As for the joint struggle against the Islamic State, we have not received an official response to our request concerning information the British side has on ISIL’s infrastructure targets, which could be used by the Russian Air Force,” the ambassador added.

http://sputniknews.com/politics/20151011/1028348816/uk-explain-permission-shoot-russian-jets-iraq.html

Also, ZeroHedge
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2015-10-11/moscow-demands-britain-explain-green-light-shoot-down-russian-jets

British news media: RAF armed with new weapons and given green light to shoot down Russian jets in Syria

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From International Business Times, October 11, 2015

As relations between the West and Russia steadily deteriorate, Royal Air Force (RAF) pilots have been given the go-ahead to shoot down Russian military jets when flying missions over Syria and Iraq, if they are endangered by them. The development comes with warnings that the UK and Russia are now “one step closer” to being at war.

RAF Tornado pilots have been instructed to avoid contact with Russian aircraft while engaged in missions for Operation Shader – the codename for the RAF’s anti-Isis work in Iraq and Syria. But their aircraft have been armed with air-to-air missiles and the pilots have been given the green light to defend themselves if they are threatened by Russian pilots.

“The first thing a British pilot will do is to try to avoid a situation where an air-to-air attack is likely to occur — you avoid an area if there is Russian activity,” an unidentified source from the UK’s Permanent Joint Headquarters (PJHQ) told the Sunday Times. “But if a pilot is fired on or believes he is about to be fired on, he can defend himself. We now have a situation where a single pilot, irrespective of nationality, can have a strategic impact on future events.”

The RAF Tornados aircraft will be armed with heat-seeking Advanced Short Range Air-to-Air Missiles (Asraams, also called AIM-132 missiles). These weapons, which cost £200,000 each, can reach triple the speed of sound and have a longer range than other air-to-air missiles, allowing RAF pilots to shoot down enemy aircraft without being targeted themselves.

The Sunday Times’ report quoted a defence source as saying: “Up till now RAF Tornados have been equipped with 500lb satellite-guided bombs — there has been no or little air-to-air threat. But in the last week the situation has changed. We need to respond accordingly.”

“We need to protect our pilots but at the same time we’re taking a step closer to war,” said another source. “It will only take one plane to be shot down in an air-to-air battle and the whole landscape will change.”

http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/raf-given-green-light-shoot-down-hostile-russian-jets-syria-1523488

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Putin: U.S. accuses Russia, yet stonewalls requests for information; some Western ‘partners’ have ‘mush for brains’

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From Kremlin.ru
Vladimir Putin took part in the 7^th Russia Calling! Investment Forum organised by VTB Capital.
October 13, 2015

Excerpt [the transcript is somewhat different than the on-video translation; also, there were additional questions to and answers from President Putin on Syria and Ukraine, but they are not yet transcribed]:

This excerpt starts at approx. 45:23 on the video.

Question [from Geoff Cutmore, CNBC]: Over the weekend, US President Obama called into question your leadership over Syria. He said that you are propping up an ally rather than going after ISIS. He also said you are running down the economy here. Can I ask you, how do you respond to President Obama’s comments and what would you say to international investors who are dissuaded from putting money into the Russian economy because of such remarks? Thank you.

Vladimir Putin: You know, as we say in Russia, everything has been thrown into one pile. What does the situation with ISIS in Syria have to do with investments in Russia? Although, of course, everything in the world is interconnected. There is no direct connection, but ultimately, of course, everything is interconnected.

First of all, I do not want to debate with anyone right now, but I will note that we are not striving for some sort of leadership in Syria. There can only be one leader in Syria: the Syrian people. We strive to make our input in the fight against terrorism, which is dangerous for the United States, Russia, European nations and the entire world, without any exceptions.

I will point out that all our actions, as I have said before, are in strict compliance with the UN Charter and international law – unlike our colleagues from the so-called international coalition led by the United States, which is acting without UN Security Council resolutions and without invitation by the Syrian authorities. Over this time (operations by international forces headed by the United States – or if we put it simply, the actions by the US – have been underway by over a year), they have engaged 11 nations in bombing, with over 500 strikes on Syrian territory, spending half a billion dollars, and that’s only officially, to train Free Syrian Army fighters to fight against ISIS. We know the result: there is none, there’s no result.

Now, it has been reported that the Free Syrian Army is being supplied with ammunition via aircraft. Where is this Free Syrian Army? If they simply discharge or dump the ammunition and weaponry somewhere from the air, how can we know that it won’t all get into the hands of ISIS, as this happened during training of the Free Syrian Army personnel and arming it – what are the guarantees? After all, this was just done, this just happened, and just now, the United States admitted that the action failed. And now, they are simply throwing ammunition somewhere. To whom? This is not a rhetorical question.

Now, we often hear that our pilots are bombing the wrong targets, not ISIS. First of all, we briefed US leadership in advance, although the United States has never done this. We were the first to do this out of respect and a desire to establish a working relationship. Now they tell us, “No, first, we are not ready to cooperate with you, and second, you are bombing the wrong targets.” We said at the military level, appealed and asked, “Give us the targets that you are 100% certain to be terrorists.” The replied, “No, we are not ready to do that.” So then, we thought about it and asked another question: “Then tell us, where shouldn’t we be bombing?” No response there either. So then, what should we be doing? This is no joke, I did not make this up, this is what happened. Just recently, we said to the Americans, “Tell us the facilities we should strike.” There was no response. How can we work jointly then? Do you have an answer? I don’t have one either, yet.

I think that some of our partners are simply confused [translated elsewhere as “have mush for brains” (1)] and do not have a clear understanding of what is really happening on the ground, nor what goals they want to achieve. But we will insistently work to ensure that the efforts in the fight against international terrorism are joint efforts, and the result is clear, expected, and aimed at fighting international terror, to eliminate this threat for all of us.

As for investments, as I already said, I do not feel the two are related, but when I was just telling you about how these events occurred; I had said from the very beginning that nobody ever warned against such actions. Whereas we did. This speaks to the fact that we want to work together, and whoever wants to work with us in the spheres of security, counter-terrorism and economics is welcome.

The theme of the plenary session was “Building Long-term Cooperation and Developing Opportunities for Economic Growth.” The discussion focused on ways of adapting the Russian economy to the changing macroeconomic conditions that open up new opportunities for strengthening the Eurasian Economic Union and creating strategic integrational projects within the framework of the Silk Route Economic Belt, as well as other issues of importance for the Russian and global economies.

The video url is http://static.kremlin.ru/media/events/video/en/video_low/hekWYcaE4JaSJfMEmRXMBOptiqMOd6K7.mp4

http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/50498

(1) http://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/putin-syria-mush-brains/2015/10/13/id/695942/

PHOTOS: Pro-Russian rally in Damascus before shelling

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At the risk of their lives, citizens in Syria rally. Where are the American citizens protesting U.S. actions in the region and supporting Russia? Where are the Russian flags waving on American streets?

From Fort Russ

October 15, 2015 –
RusVesna –
Translated for Fort Russ by J. Arnoldski

“Exclusive report of ‘Russian Spring’ from today’s pro-Russian rally in Damascus which terrorists shelled”

The Donetsk militiaman and Ukrainian citizen currently in Syria with the call-sign “Timur” passed on to “Russian Spring” exclusive footage from Tuesday’s Damascus rally in support of Russia’s operations in the Middle East.

People were not afraid to come to the rally, although they knew that they [terrorists] would shoot. Just half a kilometer from the venue of the rally, a thoroughly shelled place, is a quarters occupied by militants.

As reported earlier, on Tuesday morning this rally in support of Russia and President Putin at the Russian embassy in Damascus was shelled by mortars.