- (Izvestia) -- On October 12, Russia's strategic nuclear
forces launched their SLBM-s (Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missiles), ALCM-s
(Air-Launched Cruise Missiles) and ground-based ICBM-s (Inter- Continental
Ballistic Missiles). All these launches took place on the eve of a headquarters
exercise involving troop-control divisions of our Armed Forces. First of
all, they were called on to display the ability of national strategic nuclear
forces to prevent the escalation of an armed aggression against Russia,
including that with the use of nuclear weapons.
-
- The new Russian military doctrine stipulates this scenario,
General Staff sources told Izvestia. Among other things, this document
states expressly that Russia, which will never again be able to use conventional
forces for the sake of coping with aggressions on the part of NATO-type
blocs, has the right to use nuclear weapons for self-preservation purposes.
-
- Well, this scenario seems to be a bit far-fetched; nonetheless,
Russia's military keep simulating this situation at least once a year.
First of all, this can be explained by the fact that our generals are scared
stiff of a possible global war.
-
- Moreover, they keep sticking to the "Trust But Verify"
concept. This implies war games in order to intimidate theoretical enemies,
as well as the need to check the state of this country's "nuclear
shield" and to assess the readiness of military personnel responsible
for maintaining and using its components.
-
- Combat-training programmes are just a superficial aspect
of this problem, Sergei Ponomarev, first deputy chief of the national Strategic
Missile's headquarters, told Izvestia. We are not merely wasting our missiles,
which help accomplish specific objectives, he stressed.
-
- First of all, we have confirmed the combat readiness
of Topol (Poplar) mobile ICBM complexes, which have been around for 12
years in a row, also extending their service life, Ponomarev went on to
say. Second, ICBM crews from the Novosibirsk ICBM regiment arrived at the
Plesetsk testing site (Arkhangelsk region), subsequently operating in a
simulated battle-field environment.
-
- Apart from that, two strategic bombers, i.e. a Tupolev
Tu-160 Blackjack and a Tu-95-MS Bear, launched their cruise missiles on
a par with the Strategic Missile Force, after taking off from the strategic
air command's airfields on a practice alert. These two bombers flew for
12 consecutive hours, subsequently launching their cruise missiles and
hitting targets above the Polar circle and in the Volga region, too.
-
- An SSBN (Strategic Submarine Ballistic Nuclear) serving
with the Russian Navy's Pacific Fleet launched one of its SLBM-s (Submarine-Launched
Ballistic Missiles). That SLBM's warhead flew above the entire Arctic Russian
territory, subsequently hitting a target near Kanin Nos cape in the Nenets
autonomous area. The SSBN, therefore, accomplished its objective.
-
- Russia's military are quite happy about the results of
this exercise. Moreover, the National Security Council formalises the leading
role of our strategic nuclear forces in ensuring national security. And,
finally, their upkeep will account for about 33 percent of the entire state
defence order next year.
|
