According to unnamed source in the US intelligence, the Iskander-M ballistic missile systems have been deployed by Russia in Kaliningrad region.
Photo: Sputnik / Alexei Danichev
The US believes that Russia deployed the Iskander-M ballistic missile systems in Kaliningrad region, the Reuters news agency reported on Saturday, citing a source in the US intelligence.
The source, who asked to remain anonymous, said that the reasons of deployment of the ballistic missile systems in Kaliningrad “could be innocuous.”
“They moved a similar missile system to Kaliningrad in 2014 for a military exercise. It could also be a political gesture – a show of strength – to express displeasure with NATO,” the US official told Reuters, commenting on the information, appeared in Estonian media earlier.
There still are no comments of the Russian side in connection with the statement.
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According to the annual report ‘International Security and Estonia 2016’, published in March by the Estonian Information Department (also known as the Estonian Information System Authority), which deals with foreign intelligence, Estonian authorities fear the Iskander cruise missiles, deployed near Kaliningrad region and the borders with Estonia and Latvia. However, at the same time, the report noted that the use of tactical nuclear weapons against facilities, located in Estonia, or units of the NATO, stationed here, is unlikely.
Russia does not have any restrictions on deployment of the systems, but in any case it is necessary to analyze the military situation, Permanent Representative of Russia to the NATO, Alexander Grushko, said in late June, commenting on the possibility of deployment the Iskander missile systems in Kaliningrad. Meanwhile, Chief of Missile Forces and Artillery of the Russian Ground Forces, Major General Mikhail Matveevsky said in May 2015 that the missile brigade of the Russian Armed Forces, deployed in Kaliningrad region, as all other missile brigades, will be rearmed with the Iskander-M operational-tactical systems by 2018.
If true then it is long overdue. May be I can float an idea here that has been on my mind for sometime. It occurs to me that if this happened then the west might consider a blockade of Kaliningrad in the style of the Cuban blockade. I can certainly see the western planners considering such a thing. In making this point I am fully aware that Kaliningrad is part of the Russian Federation , though a detached part.
Hello Paul. Interesting thought. From what I understand, at this point Russia possesses antiship missile systems that remove that possibility. My view on Kalingrad is that it is a salient and meant to cut intervention to pieces. I am not thinking it could hold out against anything but, by the time the West was able to put a credible force together to take care of it, Kalingrad would have plenty of backup, because the Baltic states would have been overrun. My view on that. Have a great day.
You could well be right. I was just speculating. On the other hand I half expect something crazy.
Weren’t NATO planning on annexing Kaliningrad a while ago. Just before the major NATO exercise in Eastern Europe?
NATO is Ready to Snatch Kaliningrad From Russia – Lithuanian Media Read more: https://sputniknews.com/europe/20150611/1023226099.html
Failed NATO Invasion of Moldova SITREP, by Scott… http://thesaker.is/failed-nato-invasion-of-moldova-sitrep-by-scott/
How Russia Ruined American Plans in Crimea… http://www.fort-russ.com/2016/03/how-russia-ruined-american-plans-in.html
Kaliningrad is a A2/AD area that NATO is reluctant to approach. Anti shipping, surface to air defenses, surface to surface attack missiles, submarine threat, and Air Force assets along with 12-15,000 ground troops, hundreds of tanks and and over 1000 APC …etc. In my opinion it is highly unlikely, if NATO was to blockade Kaliningrad, Russia will break the blockade. US most likely will tempt European NATO members to try something like this, so that when the shooting starts US can extricate itself and allow Europe to deal with it.
I think what you write is very plausible. The defenses are very strong as you say. Just as a side point, I read on SF a few days ago some comments by a usa fleet commander saying that the navy was prepare to fight in A2/AD areas. At least I think that is what he was saying. Of course this may just have been hot air.
Carrier battle groups are limited in capability because of their limited engagement range, their aircraft can attack targets at 600-650 miles away. This day and age that distance is dwarfed by long range cruise missile fired from ships, submarines, or costal defenses. I think the article you were referring to is some comments in regards of American defenses against the Chinese DF21, which at this point is wishful thinking. There will be no carrier battle groups in the Baltic Sea.
Getting quite dangerous now. Its evident that the Russians have had enough of the continual lies and threats.
Hello Nexus. This week President Putin put everybody on notice about a lot of things. It is very serious.
Are you from Russia John?
I’m not and its pretty obvious that the Russians are systematically preparing for something. The US population not so prepared and totally unaware.
Why do you ask?
So what is the problem? US want to control what goes on in Russia? Soon the US and the West will go too far and Russia will react, so far Russia has been very patient.
My friend and I discussed this yesterday. American government and media will not let up with their portrayal of Russia as bad guys. I have tried my best to explain situation in Syria, Crimea, etc to my work acquaintances when Russia comes up, but folks just don’t know anything to begin with. Most don’t know where these places are located nor history concerning them. Fox News, which is very Anti Russian, is what a few quote. Never seen it this bad except as a kid with the Afghanistan situation years ago, but no one I believe was talking war with Ruusia, but helping those primitive bastards kill Russian soldiers who would one day turn their guns on us.
i can hardly keep silent at work- everyone ‘is worried’ about ‘all this russia shit’, and so on. but i keep telling myself- why argue with several ignorant people? they have no idea what is going on, where russia is even, much less what caused all the wars and terrorism. it is sad.
“why argue with several ignorant people?” I agree It is pretty hopeless, but is no waste that you let them know that there is another side of the coin. I thoght like you but then I told myself “what the h” and start telling to my colleges about what is really going on. Believe it or not a few may reflect and start asking more and more questions then they by themselves start to check other sites for information(other than MSM) and you will realize the change attitudes. Dont give up.
Their is an easy way to change peoples around without having to talk to them directly or risk work friction or loose favor with people. Simply print some of these pictures I post below and leave them somewhere, or make business cards out of them and leave them for people to find. Once they find these, I believe it will change 1 out of every 3 peoples opinions on Russia and Syria and Iran. https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/05a951200e791546feb161a049900a8c20106e9373c105197cc30695339e8f35.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/ff75a4c0fd8b151426d60417ba4577daaf634aab5e658bc373b3407a2d653862.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/62214b9c9076e1e35ca82e89fae20aabe234ccc9a5861dda36dcace0c6d19736.jpg
great idea. i will do this.
Most of the fools such as that the world will be a better place without. While they still survive though I’d ask them if they understand what they’re talking about or just repeating what they heard from the same place that said Saddam had nuclear weapons. The people I work with usually did’t do independent research until I started being openly skeptical about whether the talking heads are getting paid to sell the people another war for the profiteers. I’ve converted two people so far to being openly skeptical and only one who wanted to stay willfully ignorant. There’s another who was open and honest enough to admit that they don’t care as long as they personally are ok. Most of the time in my experience most are skeptical enough of the news to start to question more after being reminded they’ve lied us into wars before and being given a site of two to get different opinions. Southfront and whatreallyhappened.com are the two I usually recommend for more open minded. Rt and sputnik for the ones who are less informed but need an alternative view to at least get Russia’s side.
That is so because of political correctness and inability/lack of knowledge to be able to think independently without being brainwashed.
Americans are brain dead through propaganda. When the big conflict comes worrying about their iPhones will be the least of their problems.
Not all. Regarding propaganda, this has been going on since the beginning of time. Any government can do this, but what I find so unsettling is that we are now playing with big toys i.e. nukes. I think one of the biggest and best liberators of the people’s minds is the Internet. Fortunately, we have many forums where ideas can be expressed and information sought. We cannot be controlled from Main Street Media whether it’s in the USA or Russia. From there, we can make our conclusions. I think this South Front site is awesome! I visit it daily for updates on the Syrian, Yemen/Saudi, and Ukranian wars.
you have been faster. I concede to your argument. It is their territory.
It doesn’t matter for Estonia as Iskaners can hit even from mainland Russia. The main question however is, what is the warhead on those Iskanders?
it’s either nuclear, conventional or submunitions
but that is the thing that is bugging me. majority claim it is nuclear. but logically it doesn’t make sense for Russians to put nuclear warhead on Iskander (500km), while they have Topol (any point on earth). And to be frank both of them are quiet hard to intercept.
it’s a SRBM – short range ballistic missile. Using a nuke warhead on it is meant to attack high priority military targets without giving them enough time to react. For example, such targets may be the US defensive radars and anti-missile installation in Poland and Czech republic (but also airbases, headquarters, comm centers and so on). By using SRBMs deployed in Kaliningrad, they ‘ll spot the missiles only some minutes before they get hit. Using ICBMs deployed in Russia on these targets would be a waste of strategic assets, and would also give NATO more time to react.
but those targets are not big enough, requiring a nuclear explosion in order to be eliminated. that is the thing. Specially Iskander that has -+5m accuracy.
Its not the size of the installation that’s relavent so much as the damage the target could do if not completely destroyed on the first hit. Then some targets are caves where nato equipment is stored to collapse the entrances. Likely Russia has conventional and nuclear warheads ready depending on the target and situation.
bunker buster
there are targets which are very hardened and will not be disabled even by a direct hit of a conventional warhead. Or, again, you could be in a situation where you need to destroy a grouping of targets with the enemy having the capability to shoot down at least some of your missiles. In that case, tactical nukes will do the job as if in a “salvo” of 6 missiles, 5 get shot down, the last will complete the mission nonetheless. All in all, having nuclear capability is a big “plus” that NATO planners have never faced, unless they go against Russia.
“the report noted that the use of tactical nuclear weapons against facilities, located in Estonia, or units of the NATO, stationed here, is unlikely”
Sure – unlikely until the CWII (Cold War 2) goes hot, after that, it becomes a certainty. War with Russia probably seemed like an impossibility back when these two little countries got conned into joining NATO and hosting their military forces/weapons…now, Latvians, Estonians – should be sh*ting bricks if they’re not already.
Well they have been going on for years, that Russia is going to invade. Law of attraction and careful what you wish for. No doubt there are a few missiles, grinning down on their neighbours, waiting to be unleashed, if needed.
Neither the client press nor the ‘intelligence’ (fairy tales R Us) seem to require any evidence for their ‘beliefs’. Even if their guess work is correct, with the U.S. rattling its sword and its imperialistic tool NATO, illegally encroaching on Russia’s borders, Russia must prepare to.defend itself. A simple case of cause and effect.
Good for them. The Russians should deploy their in their own country. These things are useless if deployed smack in the middle of Russia haha. America use to be such a good nation 100 years ago. But since 1914 it has become so evil. The USSA must fall democratically from within, to be reborn new, and to purge the Zionist-supremacist-bigots out of offices they buy with FED FIAT paper. https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/c3bb6e44562dc759248bd0732f7ba4aba39fbc37590cf25c5cb4f7b71c4a0c72.jpg
You stupidity knows no equal. “America use to be such a good nation 100 years ago. But since 1914 it has become so evil.” The problem with you European parasites is that you actually believe this garbage, and you are all completely and utterly devoid of any humanity, and this will spell the end of your ethnic race. Before 1914, America, by extension the western nations have exterminated over 600 million people, stolen countless lands and displaced countless rightful owners. Adding to this pure evil, it enslaved millions of blacks, destroyed their civilization, and then lied about it. Next time, you decide to utter such false and supremacist logic, realize that karma will be yours.
seems you have learned the history in a zionist school.
You see to have learned it in a Nazi Supremacist school. You euro-shit are the most lied to people in human history…America went from Indigenous to European, so did Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Paraguay, and more. South Africa went from Africa to Dutch, Australia went from (Aboriginals) Mooris and Kooris to European, and so did New Zealand…shall we continue you brain-dead low intellect. Your race has used violence and pure evil to steal, murder, rape, to get everything, and now time to blame Jews for everything…what a joke. A really bad joke. Wake the F$+k UP! LOL.
are you a jewish american? the US was made by the europeans….
Your Euro-delusion anti-jewish crap never ends. The US was made by the Europeans, really? So, the folks here who wouldn’t have built had you parasites never came here? Right! Is this sort of garbage they teach in your homes and supremacist schools. Well, mark it down, the end is near for you Euro shits. You are universally hated by all of mankind. Your precious Europe will face the wrath of karma. It’s coming…LOL.
man, it seems you never learned anything.
as if the russians deploys their own stuff in top secrecy as the americans usually do.. haha
USA put nuclear missiles in many countries and it’s ship and submarine carry thousands of it. So what wrong if Russian day the same, not only in Killingrad but also in Cuba, Yugoslavia brasil. Vietnam Mexico Indonesia…?
Because only the US is the “exceptional nation” and they can stick a nuclear missile up your b……. and you are suppose to thank them for their concern! Geddit now??? This is how absurd they have become.
it is none of your business. the russians has all the rights to move from one place to another within their territory. are you jealous or something?
So everybody freaks because Russia deploys missiles to Russian territory? Must’ve messed up SOMEBODY’S plans…hmmm?