Moscow secures Crimean poll with large military drill

Moscow secures Crimean poll with large military drill 

Debka 07-Mar-14 

Amid spiraling tensions between Moscow and the West over the fate of Crimea, Russia has mobilized its air and costal defenses and more than 1,000 missile and tank units for a month-long drill in Kapustin Yar, around 450 km from the Ukraine border in the Astrakhan district. debkafile’s military sources report that this facility is home to one of Russia’s biggest missile bases. The exercise covers the whole of March and early April, including the March 16 Crimean referendum on secession and its aftermath in case of any Ukrainian or Western attempt to disrupt Crimea’s expected application to join the Russian Federation. The US has also stepped up military activity in region in the last 48 hours. 

President Barack Obama, in an hour-long phone call to President Vladimir Putin early Friday, March 7, declared the referendum was a violation of international law. 

Putin replied that the regime in Kiev and its decisions were “absolutely illegitimate,” but maintained that bilateral ties should not be sacrificed for other issues. 

Friday, March 7, the USS Truxtun guided-missile destroyer crossed the Bosporus into the Black Sea to join the fleets of NATO allies Rumania and Bulgaria fleets in a naval exercise, the day after the Pentagon unveiled plans to put another six US F-15 fighters on an air patrol mission over the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. 

Twelve US F-16 fighter bombers and 300 military personnel are to be transferred to Poland over the weekend and more US military exercises are planned in areas around the Russia starting Sunday. 

Israel’s capture of the missile ship is one down for Gen. Soleimani 

7 March. Israel’s seizure of the Iranian missile ship KLOS C Wednesday, March 6, was the second time the IDF had poked a finger in the eye of Gen. Qassem Soleimani, head of the al Qods Brigades, the Iranian Revolutionary Guards’ intelligence-cum-terrorist arm. The first was the Israeli air strike on Feb. 24 on Hizballah’s arms convoys and missiles on the Lebanese-Syrian border. The ship was carrying dozens of Syrian-made 302mm rockets from Iran to the Gaza Strip. debkafile: Gen. Soleimani was quick to set up low-key yet ominous reprisals within days of Israel’s air strike and may well come up with payback for the ship’s seizure. 

March 8, 2014 Briefs 

    The 95th Ukrainian paratroop brigade leaves base 

    debkafile’s military sources report that the Ukrainian 95th Separate Airmobile Brigade, which counts as the special forces’ backbone of the Ukraine army, departed is base in the west of the country Saturday night, for an unknown destination. 

    Crimean military office calm after takeover by armed men 

    The men equipped with automatic weapons took control of the regional military office in Simferopol from Ukrainian staff Friday night saying they belonged to the Crimean self-defense forces. The Russian navy also blockaded Ukrainian ships. As tensions mounted, Poland pulled staff from its consulate in the Crimean port of Sevastopol where Russia maintains a large naval base.