Zapad 2017: Difference between revisions
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'''Zapad 2017''' is a |
'''Zapad 2017''' is a joint strategic exercise of the national defense forces of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus which is projected for 14th-20th September 2017. According to official data<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/afp/article-4743276/Pence-Estonia-ease-Russia-fears-Baltic-region.html|title=Pence in Estonia to ease Russia fears in Baltic region|work=Mail Online|access-date=2017-08-06}}</ref>, 13,000 personnel will take part in the exercise at most. |
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,<ref name="concern" /> which would make them Russia′s largest since the [[Cold War]].<ref>[http://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/russia-plans-huge-zapad-2017-military-exercises-belarus-n788741 Russia Plans Huge Zapad 2017 Military Exercises With Belarus] NBC NEWS, 2 August 2017.</ref> |
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== General information == |
== General information == |
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The military exercise aims to check Russia’s and Belarus’s capabilities of providing security of the Union State, its preparedness for repulsing acts of aggression and to advance command and control organizations’ actions compatibility and units’ training standards.CSTO, EEU, CIS and NATO<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://news.err.ee/609876/belarus-invites-estonia-to-observe-zapad-military-exercise|title=Belarus invites Estonia to observe Zapad military exercise|last=ERR|date=2017-07-28|work=ERR|access-date=2017-08-06|language=en}}</ref> representatives have been invited as observers to Zapad 2017. Also, the Belarus president Alexander Lukashenko invites the U.S. delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.belnovosti.by/politika/lukashenko-priglasil-amerikanskuyu-delegaciyu-obse-na-ucheniya-zapad-2017|title=Лукашенко пригласил американскую делегацию ОБСЕ на учения «Запад-2017»|date=2017-07-10|work=Белновости|access-date=2017-08-06|language=ru-RU}}</ref>. |
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The ''Zapad'' military drills is a scheduled activity that was meant to be held on alternate years, alternately in Russia and Belarus, pursuant to the agreement reached by presidents of the Russia and Belarus in September 2009<ref>{{Cite news|title=Дмитрий Медведев и Президент Белоруссии Александр Лукашенко наблюдали заключительный этап оперативно-стратегических учений «Запад-2009».|author=|url=http://kremlin.ru/events/president/news/5612|work=Президент России|date=|accessdate=2017-06-28}}</ref>. |
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On July 13 at the meeting of the Russia-NATO Council representatives of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation introduced the information of the exercise “Zapad 2017”: its objectives, military ranges in use, forces and facilities, number of perssonel and weapon systems. The similar briefing will take place at the OSCE venue. There will be a detailed briefing in Moscow befor the exercise starts<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=http://www.rubaltic.ru/news/13072017-rossiya-budet-presekat-spekulyatsii-nato/|title=Грушко: Россия будет пресекать спекуляции НАТО по поводу учений «Запад-2017»|access-date=2017-08-06|language=ru}}</ref>. |
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CSTO, EEU, CIS and NATO representatives have been invited as observers to Zapad-2017<ref>{{Cite news|title=Столтенберг поприветствовал приглашение Россией наблюдателей НАТО на "Запад-2017"|author=|url=https://ria.ru/defense_safety/20170313/1489889032.html|work=РИА Новости|date=|accessdate=2017-06-28|language=ru}}</ref><ref>[https://www.gazeta.ru/army/2017/03/20/10585343.shtml «Если натовцы хотят — милости просим». Лукашенко предложил допустить наблюдателей НАТО на совместные учения с Россией]</ref>. Also, the Belarus president [[Alexander Lukashenko]] invited the U.S. delegation to the [[Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe]]<ref>{{Cite news|title= Лукашенко пригласил американскую делегацию ОБСЕ на учения «Запад-2017»|url= https://www.belnovosti.by/politika/lukashenko-priglasil-amerikanskuyu-delegaciyu-obse-na-ucheniya-zapad-2017|work= Белновости|date=2017-07-10|accessdate=2017-07-10}}</ref>. In mid-July 2017, in Vienna, Major-General Pavel Muraveiko, Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the [[Armed Forces of Belarus|Armed Forces of Belarus]], was to give a briefing on Zapad-2017<ref>{{Cite news|title=Замначальника Генштаба ВС Беларуси во время форума ОБСЕ проведет брифинг на тему учений "Запад-2017"|url=http://www.belta.by/society/view/zamnachalnika-genshtaba-vs-belarusi-vo-vremja-foruma-obse-provedet-brifing-na-temu-uchenij-zapad-2017-256963-2017/|work=Белорусское телеграфное агентство|date=2017-07-12|accessdate=2017-07-15|language=ru-RU}}</ref>. |
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On July 12 in Austria within the framework of the OSCE forum for security cooperation Pavel Muraveiko, Deputy of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Belarus, gave a briefing on the exercise. |
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It is expected that Russia′s [[1st Guards Tank Army (Russia)|1st Guards Tank Army]] that was reconstituted in 2014 will take part in the exercise.<ref name="concern" /> Its task is to establish a forward command post in western Belarus, and to hold exercises in training areas near the city of [[Brest, Belarus|Brest]].<ref name="concern" /> |
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Information about the exercise is being constantly provided in order to prevent possible speculations and allegations concerning the exercise<ref name=":0" />. |
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== Reaction of the NATO == |
== Reaction of the NATO == |
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Revision as of 20:23, 6 August 2017
Zapad 2017 is a joint strategic exercise of the national defense forces of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus which is projected for 14th-20th September 2017. According to official data[1], 13,000 personnel will take part in the exercise at most.
General information
The military exercise aims to check Russia’s and Belarus’s capabilities of providing security of the Union State, its preparedness for repulsing acts of aggression and to advance command and control organizations’ actions compatibility and units’ training standards.CSTO, EEU, CIS and NATO[2] representatives have been invited as observers to Zapad 2017. Also, the Belarus president Alexander Lukashenko invites the U.S. delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe[3].
On July 13 at the meeting of the Russia-NATO Council representatives of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation introduced the information of the exercise “Zapad 2017”: its objectives, military ranges in use, forces and facilities, number of perssonel and weapon systems. The similar briefing will take place at the OSCE venue. There will be a detailed briefing in Moscow befor the exercise starts[4].
On July 12 in Austria within the framework of the OSCE forum for security cooperation Pavel Muraveiko, Deputy of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Belarus, gave a briefing on the exercise.
Information about the exercise is being constantly provided in order to prevent possible speculations and allegations concerning the exercise[4].
Reaction of the NATO
Months prior to Zapad 2017, NATO member countries′ officials sounded their concern.[5][6] In July 2017, U.S. military officials expressed their suspicion that the maneuvers might be used as a pretext to increase Russia’s military presence in Belarus.[5]
On 20 June 2017, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg answering a question about the exercise said: ″We are going to follow and monitor the Zapad exercise area here closely, and all nations have the right to exercise their forces but it is important that nations, be it Belarus or Russia, exercise their forces that they do that in accordance with well established guidelines and agreements and international obligations and we have something called the Vienna document which outlines how exercises have to be notified and be subject to international inspections and we call on Russia and also Belarus to do that in accordance with the Vienna document so that we have transparency, predictability related to Zapad 2017. We are also working in the framework of the NATO-Russia Council to have more transparency, predictability, connected to military posture but also exercises, and that is always important but especially important now when we see more military presence along our borders in this region. It’s even more important to have transparency, international observation of exercises like Zapad.″[7]
On their part, Russia and Belarus maintain that Zapad 2017 is a scheduled event of strictly defensive nature.[8]
References
- ^ "Pence in Estonia to ease Russia fears in Baltic region". Mail Online. Retrieved 2017-08-06.
- ^ ERR (2017-07-28). "Belarus invites Estonia to observe Zapad military exercise". ERR. Retrieved 2017-08-06.
- ^ "Лукашенко пригласил американскую делегацию ОБСЕ на учения «Запад-2017»". Белновости (in Russian). 2017-07-10. Retrieved 2017-08-06.
{{cite news}}: zero width joiner character in|title=at position 71 (help) - ^ a b "Грушко: Россия будет пресекать спекуляции НАТО по поводу учений «Запад-2017»" (in Russian). Retrieved 2017-08-06.
- ^ a b "Russia's Military Drills Near NATO Border Raise Fears of Aggression". The New York Times. 2017-07-31.
- ^ Грибаускайте назвала учения «Запад-2017» подготовкой к войне
- ^ "Joint press point with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaitė". NATO. 2017-06-20.
- ^ "Глава военного ведомства России генерал армии Сергей Шойгу провел в Калининграде выездное заседание Коллегии Министерства обороны : Министерство обороны Российской Федерации". function.mil.ru. 2017-06-21.