southfront--2020-12-12--Yemeni Forces Make More Gains In Battle With Saudi Proxies In Marib (Map Update)

Click to see the full-size image The Ansar Allah movement ( more widely known as the Houthis ) has been @ @ @ @ @ of Saudi proxies in the Yemeni province of Marib : • On December 11 , @ @ @ @ @ airstrikes on the Madghal area ; • On December 11 , Saudi-led coalition warplanes conducted @ @ @ @ @ ; • On December 11 , Ansar Allah struck the Tadawin camp with a missile @ @ @ @ @ , clashes between Ansar Allah and Saudi-led forces continue in the Asahel area .
MORE @ @ @ @ @ Saudi Proxies Counter-Attack West Of Marib , But City Is Still On Brink Of Fall @ @ @ @ @ ) • Houthis Make Fresh Gains In Battle With Saudi Proxies In Yemen ’ s @ @ @ @ @

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The Ansar Allah movement (more widely known as the Houthis) has been developing its advance on positions of Saudi proxies in the Yemeni province of Marib:
On December 11, Ansar Allah reportedly captured Nashah Mountain, Sana and Harja areas;
On December 11, Saudi-led coalition warplanes conducted 4 airstrikes on the Madghal area;
On December 11, Saudi-led coalition warplanes conducted airstrikes on the Sarwah area;
On December 11, Ansar Allah struck the Tadawin camp with a missile;
On December 12, clashes between Ansar Allah and Saudi-led forces continue in the Asahel area.
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southfront--2020-12-12--In Video: Russian Nuclear Submarine Launches Barrage Of Ballistic Missiles

On December 12 , the Rusian Navy ’ s nuclear submarine Vladimir Monomakh launched a salvo of four Bulava ballistic @ @ @ @ @ combat training activities .
The launch was carried out from a submerged position from the @ @ @ @ @ Chizha training ground in the Arkhangelsk region .
Click to see the full-size image MORE @ @ @ @ @ Role Of Russia ’ s New Strategic Weapons Systems In Providing Strategic Deterrence • Russian @ @ @ @ @ For 2nd Time In Less Than Month ( Videos )

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On December 12, the Rusian Navy’s nuclear submarine Vladimir Monomakh launched a salvo of four Bulava ballistic missiles as part of planned combat training activities. The launch was carried out from a submerged position from the Sea of Okhotsk at the Chizha training ground in the Arkhangelsk region.
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southfront--2020-12-12--ISIS Claims Responsibility For New Rocket Attack On Kabul’s Airport (Photos, Video)

On December 12 , another rocket attack targeted the Afghan capital Kabul .
Afghan sources said at least ten rockets were launched at the city .
ISIS Khorasan Province was quick to claim responsibility for the attack in a statement released by the Amaq news agency .
The terrorist group said the attack targeted the military section of Kabul International Airport .
The Afghan Interior Affairs Ministry said the rockets landed near the airport as well as in different parts of Kabul .
The Hawashinasi area in PD9 , Zan Abad area in PD9 and Khwaja Rawash area in PD15 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , one person was killed and at least two others were injured as a result of the rocket attack on Kabul and its airport .
ISIS terrorists fired rockets from an improvised launcher .
Afghan authorities said the launch vehicle was parked in the Lab-e-Jar area , north of Kabul .
This was the second rocket attack in the city in a month .
On November 21 , at least 23 rockets fired by ISIS terrorists struck Kabul , killing eight people and injuring many others .
The security of the Afghan capital @ @ @ @ @ @ @ authorities .
Violence is still spreading throughout the war-torn country .
• On December 11 , Taliban forces attacked Afghan Army positions in the Ab Kamari area .
• On December 11 , 4 fighters of government forces were allegedly killed in a Taliban ambush near Balkh .
• On December 12 , Hamdullah Mohib National Security Adviser of Afghanistan met with Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister , Abbas Araghchi .
Both sides discussed bilateral relations and the peace process .
Despite the ongoing peace talks between the Afghan government and Taliban , Afghanistan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stable .
The threat of terrorist groups like ISIS and al-Qaeda will likely stay on for years to come .
MORE ON THIS TOPIC : • Militant Activity In Jammu And Kashmir Increasing Amid Rumors Of Deployment Of Turkish Proxies

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On December 12, another rocket attack targeted the Afghan capital Kabul. Afghan sources said at least ten rockets were launched at the city.
ISIS Khorasan Province was quick to claim responsibility for the attack in a statement released by the Amaq news agency. The terrorist group said the attack targeted the military section of Kabul International Airport.
The Afghan Interior Affairs Ministry said the rockets landed near the airport as well as in different parts of Kabul. The Hawashinasi area in PD9, Zan Abad area in PD9 and Khwaja Rawash area in PD15 were hit.
این هم بغضی از عکس که در حمله موشک پرانی در کابل pic.twitter.com/e2y0XivZh4 — Řæ§ Ķhįíł (@khii_r) December 12, 2020
صبح امروز ، موشک ها از منطقه لب جار در منطقه 15 کابل به پایتخت شلیک شدند.
شاهدان گفتند که موشک ها از یک موتر سراچه شلیک شده اند.
#NotOurFuture pic.twitter.com/dKGtfk1w30 — Nasim Bek نسیم بیک (@Nasim_bek1) December 12, 2020
According to TOLO News, one person was killed and at least two others were injured as a result of the rocket attack on Kabul and its airport. ISIS terrorists fired rockets from an improvised launcher. Afghan authorities said the launch vehicle was parked in the Lab-e-Jar area, north of Kabul.
سراجه که توسط ان 10 موشک در کابل پرتاب شد pic.twitter.com/0GkVFK6lDv — Řæ§ Ķhįíł (@khii_r) December 12, 2020
This was the second rocket attack in the city in a month. On November 21, at least 23 rockets fired by ISIS terrorists struck Kabul, killing eight people and injuring many others.
The security of the Afghan capital is not the only issue facing Afghan authorities. Violence is still spreading throughout the war-torn country.
On December 11, Taliban forces attacked Afghan Army positions in the Ab Kamari area.
On December 11, rocket attacks on Imam Saheb district killed 2 people.
On December 11, 4 fighters of government forces were allegedly killed in a Taliban ambush near Balkh.
On December 12, Hamdullah Mohib National Security Adviser of Afghanistan met with Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi. Both sides discussed bilateral relations and the peace process.
Despite the ongoing peace talks between the Afghan government and Taliban, Afghanistan is still far from being safe or stable. The threat of terrorist groups like ISIS and al-Qaeda will likely stay on for years to come.
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southfront--2020-12-12--TRT Journalist Assassinated In Turkish-Occupied Al-Bab In Northern Syria

On December 12 , Syrian journalist Hussein Khattab was assassinated in the Turkish-occupied city of al-Bab in the northern Aleppo countryside .
Opposition sources said two unidentified gunmen riding a motorcycle shot and killed Khattab near the gate of al-Bab ’ s graveyard early in the morning .
The gunmen managed to escape the crime scene without being noticed .
Khattab worked as a correspondent of the Turkish state-run TRT Arabic TV .
He was also a co-chairman of of the Media Union in Aleppo and its Countryside .
In September , Khattab survived a previous assassination attempt .
Back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ warlord from his hometown al-Safirah .
Khattab filed a complaint to the Free Syrian Police , a law enforcement body backed by Turkey .
However , no action was taken .
Khattab may have been killed by al-Abdullah as a result of their personal disagreement .
However , the style of the assassination , which appeared to be well-throughout , indicates that ISIS may be responsible .
In the last few months , ISIS cells assassinated a number of militants and local figures in northern Aleppo .
All of them were affiliated with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an example of the state of lawlessness prevailing over Turkish-occupied areas in northern and northeastern Syria .
Ankara has been doing very little to secure these areas .
MORE ON THIS TOPIC : • Bracing Up For New Attack ?
Iranian-Backed Forces , Hezbollah Deployed Reinforcements In Syria ’ s Greater Idlib

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On December 12, Syrian journalist Hussein Khattab was assassinated in the Turkish-occupied city of al-Bab in the northern Aleppo countryside.
Opposition sources said two unidentified gunmen riding a motorcycle shot and killed Khattab near the gate of al-Bab’s graveyard early in the morning. The gunmen managed to escape the crime scene without being noticed.
Khattab worked as a correspondent of the Turkish state-run TRT Arabic TV. He was also a co-chairman of of the Media Union in Aleppo and its Countryside.
In September, Khattab survived a previous assassination attempt. Back then he blaimed Ahmad al-Abdullah, a warlord from his hometown al-Safirah. Khattab filed a complaint to the Free Syrian Police, a law enforcement body backed by Turkey. However, no action was taken.
Khattab may have been killed by al-Abdullah as a result of their personal disagreement. However, the style of the assassination, which appeared to be well-throughout, indicates that ISIS may be responsible.
In the last few months, ISIS cells assassinated a number of militants and local figures in northern Aleppo. All of them were affiliated with Turkey.
The assassination of Khattab is an example of the state of lawlessness prevailing over Turkish-occupied areas in northern and northeastern Syria. Ankara has been doing very little to secure these areas.
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southfront--2020-12-12--Azerbaijan Resumed Offensive Operations In Nagorno-Karabakh. Russian-Turkish Monitoring Center To Be

Azerbaijan Resumed Offensive Operations In Nagorno-Karabakh. Russian-Turkish Monitoring Center To Be located In Agdam

UPDATE : According to pro-Armenian sources , Khtsaberd and Khin Taher were already captured by Azerbaijan .
Baku accused the Armenians of the escalation .
President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev already promised to crush the Armenians with “ an iron fist ” in the event of the further escalation : “ I was informed that yesterday some terrorist acts were committed either by Armenian militants or by the remnants of the so-called “ Armenian army ” .
Of course , this causes concern .
I think that Armenia should not try to start over .
Two days ago , at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , I said that if the Armenian fascism rises again , we will crush it with an iron fist.
” Meanwhile , the Azerbaijani side revealed that the joint Turkish-Russian center to monitor the ceasefire will be located in Agdam District .
On December 12 , forces of Azerbaijan resumed offensive operations in the contested Nagorno-Karabakh region , where the Armenians and Baku reached a ceasefire just a month ago .
According to the Armenian Defense Ministry , Azerbaijani forces have been advancing on the villages of Khtsaberd and Khin Taher .
These @ @ @ @ @ @ @ corridor , remained in the hands of the Armenians following the transfer of several districts to Baku as a part of the ceasefire deal .
This became the first ceasefire violation since November 10 , when it entered force .
The Russian Defense Ministry confirmed the incident in an official statement .
It seems that the new escalation is a result of actions of Armenian forces that just refused to withdraw from these two villages in violation of the agreement with Azerbaijan .
The aforementioned villages were located in a de-facto enticement by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : • Karabakh War Round 2 ?
Armenia and Azerbaijan Exchange Accusations Of Clashes In Hadrut

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UPDATED 2 (13.12.2020): Armenian sources claim that while Azerbaijani troops entered Khtsaberd, the village of Khin Taher in fact remained in the hands of the Armenians. Situation in the area remains tense despite the reported involvement of Russian negotiators as a part of the effort to de-escalate the issue.
The Armenian Defense Ministry confirms that 6 of its fighters were injured in the December 12 clashes. Yerevan claims that Azerbaijani forces also suffered casualties.
UPDATE: According to pro-Armenian sources, Khtsaberd and Khin Taher were already captured by Azerbaijan. Baku accused the Armenians of the escalation.
President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev already promised to crush the Armenians with “an iron fist” in the event of the further escalation:
“I was informed that yesterday some terrorist acts were committed either by Armenian militants or by the remnants of the so-called “Armenian army”. Of course, this causes concern. I think that Armenia should not try to start over. Two days ago, at the military parade dedicated to our victory, I said that if the Armenian fascism rises again, we will crush it with an iron fist.”
Meanwhile, the Azerbaijani side revealed that the joint Turkish-Russian center to monitor the ceasefire will be located in Agdam District.
***
On December 12, forces of Azerbaijan resumed offensive operations in the contested Nagorno-Karabakh region, where the Armenians and Baku reached a ceasefire just a month ago.
According to the Armenian Defense Ministry, Azerbaijani forces have been advancing on the villages of Khtsaberd and Khin Taher. These villages, located south of the Lachin corridor, remained in the hands of the Armenians following the transfer of several districts to Baku as a part of the ceasefire deal.
This became the first ceasefire violation since November 10, when it entered force. The Russian Defense Ministry confirmed the incident in an official statement.
It seems that the new escalation is a result of actions of Armenian forces that just refused to withdraw from these two villages in violation of the agreement with Azerbaijan. The aforementioned villages were located in a de-facto enticement by Azerbaijani forces.
The situation is developing.
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southfront--2020-12-12--Russian Aerospace Forces Renew Airstrikes On Syria’s Greater Idlib (Photos)

On December 12 , warplanes of the Russian Aerospace Forces carried out a number of airstrikes on the northwestern Syrian region of Greater Idlib .
The airstrikes hit militants ’ positions in the outskirts of the town of Kabani in the northern Lattakia countryside and the town of Halluz in the southwestern countryside of Idlib .
Kabani is the stronghold for many terrorist groups , including Hay ’ at Tahrir al-Sham , the Turkistan Islamic Party and Ajnad al-Kavkaz .
From the town , militants launch drone and rocket attacks at Syrian military positions and Russia ’ s Hmeimim Air @ @ @ @ @ @ @ regular basis .
A day earlier , a combat drone , reportedly Russian , struck two militants ’ posts near the town of Sufuhon in the southern Idlib countryside .
These strikes were likely a response to recent provocations by Greater Idlib militants .
The ceasefire in the region , that was brokered by Russia and Turkey on March 5 , appears to be on the brink of collapse .
Turkish forces have been increasing their presence in Greater Idlib .
At the same time , the Syrian Arab Army and its allies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Any new military confrontation in Greater Idlib will likely see government troops attempting to liberate the M4 highway .
The strategic highway links the port city of Lattakia with Aleppo city , the country ’ s industrial hub .
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On December 12, warplanes of the Russian Aerospace Forces carried out a number of airstrikes on the northwestern Syrian region of Greater Idlib.
The airstrikes hit militants’ positions in the outskirts of the town of Kabani in the northern Lattakia countryside and the town of Halluz in the southwestern countryside of Idlib.
Kabani is the stronghold for many terrorist groups, including Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham, the Turkistan Islamic Party and Ajnad al-Kavkaz. From the town, militants launch drone and rocket attacks at Syrian military positions and Russia’s Hmeimim Air Base on the Syrian coast on a regular basis.
A day earlier, a combat drone, reportedly Russian, struck two militants’ posts near the town of Sufuhon in the southern Idlib countryside.
These strikes were likely a response to recent provocations by Greater Idlib militants. The ceasefire in the region, that was brokered by Russia and Turkey on March 5, appears to be on the brink of collapse.
Turkish forces have been increasing their presence in Greater Idlib. At the same time, the Syrian Arab Army and its allies have been deploying reinforcements in the region.
Any new military confrontation in Greater Idlib will likely see government troops attempting to liberate the M4 highway. The strategic highway links the port city of Lattakia with Aleppo city, the country’s industrial hub.
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southfront--2020-12-13--New Wave Of Russian Airstrikes Hit ISIS Terrorists In Central Syria As Death Toll From Clashes Reach

New Wave Of Russian Airstrikes Hit ISIS Terrorists In Central Syria As Death Toll From Clashes Reaches 22

Heavy clashes between Syrian government forces and ISIS terrorists are still ongoing in the country ’ s central region , according to several sources .
The London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights ( SOHR ) said the clashes are taking place in the Aleppo-Hama-Raqqa triangle , north of the Homs desert .
The region is ISIS ’ main stronghold in central Syria .
Warplanes of the Russian Aerospace Forces are providing government forces with close air support .
On December 12 and 13 , Russian warplanes carried out more than 70 airstrikes on ISIS terrorists and their hideouts .
According @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Russian airstrikes have so far killed 15 terrorists .
Seven Syrian soldiers also lost their lives in the clashes .
The SOHR documented the death of 601 ISIS terrorists in the central region since March of 2019 .
At the same period , 1064 pro-government fighters , including foreigners [ Iranian , Lebanese or Palestinians ] , were killed .
ISIS terrorists stepped up their attacks on government force this year in what appears to be an attempt to expand their influence n the central region .
Government forces conduct operations around the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ However , ISIS threat in the central region continues to grow .
Damascus and its allies should adopt a new , more aggressive approach against the terrorist group ’ s remnants .
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Heavy clashes between Syrian government forces and ISIS terrorists are still ongoing in the country’s central region, according to several sources.
The London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said the clashes have been taking place in the Aleppo-Hama-Raqqa triangle, north of the Homs desert. The region is ISIS’ main stronghold in central Syria.
Warplanes of the Russian Aerospace Forces provide government forces with a close air support. On December 12 and 13, Russian warplanes carried out more than 70 airstrikes on ISIS terrorists and their hideouts.
According to the SOHR, government troops and Russian airstrikes have so far killed 15 terrorists. Seven Syrian soldiers also lost their lives in the clashes.
“The death toll is expected to rise further as there are several combatants injured, some seriously. There are also unconfirmed reports of more casualties,” the monitoring group’s report reads.
The SOHR documented the death of 601 ISIS terrorists in the central region since March of 2019. At the same period, 1064 pro-government fighters, including foreigners [Iranian, Lebanese or Palestinians], were killed.
ISIS terrorists stepped up their attacks on government force this year in what appears to be an attempt to expand their influence n the central region.
Government forces conduct operations around the Homs desert on a regular basis. However, the ISIS threat in the central region continues to grow.
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southfront--2020-12-13--Russia Revealed Look Of Avangard Hypersonic Missile System (Video)

The development of a future ICBM with a brand-new payload type in the form of a gliding vehicle was the real technological breakthrough .
The testing of Avangard has been successfully concluded .
According to available information , Avangard can reach the top speed of Mach 20 and is one of the possible payload options for Sarmat .
The warhead can fly in dense layers of the atmosphere over intercontinental distances , while performing evasive dog-legs both horizontally ( up to several thousand kilometers ) and vertically .
Specialists assess that the Avangard has not only an aerodynamic control system @ @ @ @ @ @ @ able to perform such maneuvers .
In spite of flying in a plasma cloud , the warhead can receive signals from its command center .
It used to be an impossible task , since plasma blocks radio waves .
Another challenge that was successfully overcome was the problem of heat insulation .
It can not be ruled out that the Avangard uses new generation high-temperature ceramic composites that use silicon carbide , capable of withstanding temperatures of up to 2,000 C. By mid-March it was announced that the first Avangard carriers would become @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ICBMs that will most likely become part of the RS-24 Yars strategic missile system .
About 30 of these missiles were delivered from Ukraine in the early ‘ 00s to cover natural gas debts .
After the Soviet break-up , they were stored un-fueled .
Once Sarmat is adopted , it too will carry Avangard warheads .
The Russian MOD already signed a contract for serial delivery of Avangards , and they will enter line service in the near future .

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The Avangard Hypersonic Glide Vehicle:
The development of a future ICBM with a brand-new payload type in the form of a gliding vehicle was the real technological breakthrough. The testing of Avangard has been successfully concluded. According to available information, Avangard can reach the top speed of Mach 20 and is one of the possible payload options for Sarmat.
The warhead can fly in dense layers of the atmosphere over intercontinental distances, while performing evasive dog-legs both horizontally (up to several thousand kilometers) and vertically. Specialists assess that the Avangard has not only an aerodynamic control system but also a propulsion system to be able to perform such maneuvers.
In spite of flying in a plasma cloud, the warhead can receive signals from its command center. It used to be an impossible task, since plasma blocks radio waves. Another challenge that was successfully overcome was the problem of heat insulation. It cannot be ruled out that the Avangard uses new generation high-temperature ceramic composites that use silicon carbide, capable of withstanding temperatures of up to 2,000 C. By mid-March it was announced that the first Avangard carriers would become the UR-100N UTTKh (SS-19 Stiletto) ICBMs that will most likely become part of the RS-24 Yars strategic missile system. About 30 of these missiles were delivered from Ukraine in the early ‘00s to cover natural gas debts. After the Soviet break-up, they were stored un-fueled. Once Sarmat is adopted, it too will carry Avangard warheads. The Russian MOD already signed a contract for serial delivery of Avangards, and they will enter line service in the near future.


southfront--2020-12-13--Azerbaijan Announced ‘Counter-Terrorism Operation’ In South Of Nagorno-Karabkah

On December 13 , the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry and the State Security Service ( SSS ) declared that Azerbaijani forces have carried out a “ forced anti-terrorist operation ” in the vicinity of the town of Hadrut in the south of Nagorno-Karabakh .
“ After the signing of a joint ceasefire statement on November 10 , Armenian armed units remained in the forests north-west of the town of Hadrut .
The Armenian side appealed to the command of the Russian peacekeeping contingent to assist in the withdrawal of these units , ” the statement claimed .
However , Azerbaijani claimed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the territory , but , on the contrary , set up combat positions and carried out several acts of sabotage against the Azerbaijani military and civilians , as a result of which four soldiers were killed and two were wounded , as well as one civilian was wounded.
” Azerbaijan called on Armenia to ensure the implementation of the points of the joint ceasefire statement in Karabakh .
“ The Republic of Azerbaijan is committed to the implementation of the points reflected in the joint statement of the leaders of the three countries @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the peacekeeping forces of the Russian Federation to ensure peace in the region , ” the statement said .
Contrary to the Azerbaijani version of events , Armenian sources insist that Baku forces deployed reinforcements and attacked positions of Armenian local militia in the countryside of Hadrut .
For example , on December 12 , Azerbaijani troops entered the village Khtsaberd and attacked the village of Khin Taher , which were in the hands of Armenian militia units .
On December 13 , Armenia claimed that Azerbaijan attacked the villages of Hin Shen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are located in the de-facto encirclement by Azerbaijani troops and Armenian units located there are ‘ volunteer battalions ’ and ‘ local militias ’ that have refused to withdraw from the encirclement following the November 10 agreement .
Their shady status became the source of the current tensions in the region .
MORE ON THE TOPIC : • Azerbaijan Resumed Offensive Operations In Nagorno-Karabakh .
Russian-Turkish Monitoring Center To Be located In Agdam

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On December 13, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry and the State Security Service (SSS) declared that Azerbaijani forces have carried out a “forced anti-terrorist operation” in the vicinity of the town of Hadrut in the south of Nagorno-Karabakh.
“After the signing of a joint ceasefire statement on November 10, Armenian armed units remained in the forests north-west of the town of Hadrut. The Armenian side appealed to the command of the Russian peacekeeping contingent to assist in the withdrawal of these units,” the statement claimed. However, Azerbaijani claimed, Armenian units “did not leave the territory, but, on the contrary, set up combat positions and carried out several acts of sabotage against the Azerbaijani military and civilians, as a result of which four soldiers were killed and two were wounded, as well as one civilian was wounded.”
Azerbaijan called on Armenia to ensure the implementation of the points of the joint ceasefire statement in Karabakh.
“The Republic of Azerbaijan is committed to the implementation of the points reflected in the joint statement of the leaders of the three countries, and continues to closely cooperate with the peacekeeping forces of the Russian Federation to ensure peace in the region,” the statement said.
Contrary to the Azerbaijani version of events, Armenian sources insist that Baku forces deployed reinforcements and attacked positions of Armenian local militia in the countryside of Hadrut.
For example, on December 12, Azerbaijani troops entered the village Khtsaberd and attacked the village of Khin Taher, which were in the hands of Armenian militia units. On December 13, Armenia claimed that Azerbaijan attacked the villages of Hin Shen and Mets Shen. All these villages are located in the de-facto encirclement by Azerbaijani troops and Armenian units located there are ‘volunteer battalions’ and ‘local militias’ that have refused to withdraw from the encirclement following the November 10 agreement. Their shady status became the source of the current tensions in the region.
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southfront--2020-12-13--Israeli Strategy To Fight Hezbollah And How Hezbollah Can Benefit From It

A new trend is spreading all over the world .
More states one by one designate the Lebanese Shia group “ Hezbollah ” , also known as “ Party of God ” , as a terrorist organization .
Governments in different world regions outlaw it , prohibit entry to its members , and impose sanctions without dividing the organization into political and military branches .
On November 20 , Slovenia became the last in the list of countries that recognized the entire organization as terrorist formation .
Not so long ago , the Estonian government imposed sanctions against Hezbollah .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Britain , Czech Republic , Latvia also support such a policy .
Germany hesitated for a long time before recognizing Hezbollah as a terrorist organization in April 2020 .
According to the reports , raft measures were implemented in the German regions ; in particular , police raids on mosques took place in major cities in order to identify activity associated with the Shia organization .
Claims that the group is “ a criminal and terrorist organization posing a threat to global peace and stability ” are heard not only from Europe .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Zealand , Australia , and Canada .
Egypt and the Gulf countries are opposed to the Hezbollah ’ s influence in the region .
The same view is widespread in Latin America , in particular in Guatemala , Argentina , Paraguay , Colombia , Honduras , etc .
The main devotee of the fight against the Shia organization and the main opponent of the growing influence of Iran remains the United States which does not stop expanding sanctions against the Lebanese group .
The main enemy of the Lebanon ’ s Hezbollah has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ To fight the foe near its borders , Tel Aviv in addition to military methods actively calls on international community to abandon any support to the political branch of Hezbollah .
Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs identifies continued funding and the organization ’ s ability to accumulate funds as one of the main reasons for the danger posed by Hezbollah .
At first glance , the internal political instability that has been persisting in Israel for a long time should weaken its foreign influence .
Moreover , during this period the change of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ place .
The post was taken by G. Ashkenazi , a military man who served as chief of the IDF General Staff from 2007 to 2011 .
The confrontation between the Likud party , led by Netanyahu , and Blue and White , whose members include G. Ashkenazi and B. Gantz , was temporarily resolved by the principle of rotation in the Prime Minister post .
After one and a half years of being in power , Netanyahu should be replaced by Benny Gantz in March 2021 for the next year and a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the opposition is making efforts to change the previously adopted principles and calling for early elections , the continuing instability and uncertainty significantly complicate the work of the new head of the Foreign Ministry .
While Ashkenazi was not expected to make significant breakthroughs in foreign policy , he managed to achieve significant results in maintaining the image of Hezbollah ’ s threat in various world regions .
The Israeli Foreign Ministry regularly holds negotiations with its foreign counterparts and develops separate strategies for different countries based on potential and real threats that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hezbollah group .
The spread of a negative image of Hezbollah in the Middle East does not require any considerable efforts from Israel .
The national interests of many countries in the region complement the interests of Tel Aviv .
Hezbollah is their ideological and political bitter enemy .
The most aggressive towards the Shia organization are the Sunni monarchies , primarily Bahrain , Qatar and Saudi Arabia .
For example , back in 2013 Bahrain concluded that the Hezbollah ’ s attacks bring to its designation as criminal .
It was decided @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the party into political and paramilitary branches ; therefore , a complex assessment of its activities was carried out .
Bahrain is de facto an absolute monarchy , where power is concentrated in the hands of the ruling Sunni clan , and the majority of the population is Shia , who does not actually have the same civil rights and opportunities as the Sunni minority .
Therefore , among the Bahraini population , Hezbollah is particularly popular , what the Sunni royal house considers as a direct threat .
At the same @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the UAE , which officially include Hezbollah under the heading “ terrorist organizations ” , at the level of national elites have a more balanced attitude towards the “ Party of God.
” Significant success in creating an image of a dangerous threat from Hezbollah has been achieved in the countries of Latin America , where members of the Lebanese group are actively infiltrating local armed factions through ties with local Shia communities .
In this region , the threat of inclusion of members of the Lebanese group in the illegal drug and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an appropriate reaction from the local government .
The situation is the most dangerous in Argentina , Paraguay and Brazil , where the largest Shia communities are located .
Another reason of a severe reaction to Hezbollah ’ s activities is that these countries face another liberal turn in their history , and the influence of the United States is strengthening there .
The European direction is of particular importance for Israeli policy .
There , Tel Aviv bets on the primary conviction of each separate country .
Its efforts are yielding results @ @ @ @ @ @ @ countries in the region have taken measures to prevent the influence of the Shia organization in their territories .
The main obstacle to Israeli policy in the region is the position of France , one of the leading countries of the European Union .
Macron is taking significant steps to maintain French influence in the territories of the former colonies , Lebanon is no exception .
Paris is aware that actions against Hezbollah will entail significant changes in relations between the two countries .
It is forced to reckon with the group , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ circles , and also has significant support among the population of Lebanon .
During Macron ’ s recent visits to Beirut , he paid special attention to direct communication with the population and spent quite a long time on the streets .
This behavior is due to a number of reasons .
First , the reports from his release to the Lebanese population were intended for intra-French consumption , thereby Macron showed his adherence to the basic principle of justice and multicultural approach .
At the same time , in an effort to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he seeks to reinforce a positive image of France .
Taking into account the fact that Lebanon is one of the main footholds of the French influence in the region , the Macron ’ s public policy and his policy toward Hezbollah seem to be reasonable .
Despite the fact that the explosion in the port of Beirut and the subsequent aggravation of the economic and political crisis weakened the Hezbollah ’ s support among the Lebanese population , Macron apparently does not seek to make harsh decisions against the organization and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ same time , not everyone supports the position of the president in the Champs Elysees and in the ranks of the French intelligentsia .
Calls to ban the activities of the Lebanese group are regularly heard in the French Senate .
A petition signed by nearly 30 famous personalities in France and published by Le Figaro received a wide response .
It was calling on France and the EU to recognize Hezbollah as a terrorist organization , since “ this is necessary to restore Lebanese sovereignty.
” Macron , in his turn , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ position .
This seems very unlikely due to the fact that the political wing of the organization declares openness to the reforms proposed by Macron after the disaster in the port of Beirut .
It is hard to imagine that Macron would sacrifice long-term French interests in Lebanon in favor of the tactical benefits that France could gain from the United States , Israel or the Persian monarchies .
A deeper look reveals that Macron ’ s final goal is not to gain the sympathy of the Lebanese people but to fall in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ both Iranian hydrocarbons and the Iranian market are of great importance .
In view of the expected detente in the Iranian relation with the United States , and therefore with the entire West , after President Biden takes office , it may turn out that the French business will be the most favorable among the Iranians .
It concerns not only large state-owned Iranian economic undertakings , but also the people .
Thus , the systematic work of Israeli services can be traced in various world regions .
Tel Aviv acts by identifying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ each country .
This is confirmed by the case of Germany , which was biased against Hezbollah under the pretext of the threat of growing radical Islamism .
The same threat seems to refer to most countries in the European Region .
Latin America , in its turn , fears the integration of the Shia organization with local armed groups .
A different tactic is implemented in the Middle East , where a growing number of states declare the normalization of relations with Israel , and have a common interest in reducing Iran @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opposing one of its main pillars – Hezbollah .
Israeli efforts will probably result in Tel-Aviv ’ s tactical victory .
However , Israeli recognition of the Hezbollah ’ s political branch as a terrorist organization highly likely was a strategic mistake .
Otherwise , Tel Aviv had at least a minimal opportunity to conduct a dialogue with them through American diplomacy .
Today , the internal contradictions in Knesset are intensifying , the end to acute ethnic , religious , political conflicts in the region is not in sight , and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crisis .
In the minds of a significant part of the population in the whole region , the Shia organization will strengthen its status as an Islam defender , striving for social justice and fighting the Zionist threat .
Consequently , Hezbollah will receive more supporters , more resources , and therefore more influence .
Its members and supporters will be more encouraged to radical commitment and actions , including martyrdom for Hezbollah ’ s ideals .
MORE ON THE TOPIC : • U.S.-Israeli Honeymoon Nearing Its End : Trump ’ s Last @ @ @

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A new trend is spreading all over the world. More states one by one designate the Lebanese Shia group “Hezbollah”, also known as “Party of God”, as a terrorist organization. Governments in different world regions outlaw it, prohibit entry to its members, and impose sanctions without dividing the organization into political and military branches.
On November 20, Slovenia became the last in the list of countries that recognized the entire organization as terrorist formation. Not so long ago, the Estonian government imposed sanctions against Hezbollah. Serbia, Lithuania, Austria, Great Britain, Czech Republic, Latvia also support such a policy. Germany hesitated for a long time before recognizing Hezbollah as a terrorist organization in April 2020. According to the reports, raft measures were implemented in the German regions; in particular, police raids on mosques took place in major cities in order to identify activity associated with the Shia organization.
Claims that the group is “a criminal and terrorist organization posing a threat to global peace and stability” are heard not only from Europe. Among the other countries there are New Zealand, Australia, and Canada. Egypt and the Gulf countries are opposed to the Hezbollah’s influence in the region. The same view is widespread in Latin America, in particular in Guatemala, Argentina, Paraguay, Colombia, Honduras, etc. The main devotee of the fight against the Shia organization and the main opponent of the growing influence of Iran remains the United States which does not stop expanding sanctions against the Lebanese group.
The main enemy of the Lebanon’s Hezbollah has always been its neighbor, Israel. To fight the foe near its borders, Tel Aviv in addition to military methods actively calls on international community to abandon any support to the political branch of Hezbollah. Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs identifies continued funding and the organization’s ability to accumulate funds as one of the main reasons for the danger posed by Hezbollah.
At first glance, the internal political instability that has been persisting in Israel for a long time should weaken its foreign influence. Moreover, during this period the change of the Israeli Minister of Foreign Affairs took place. The post was taken by G. Ashkenazi, a military man who served as chief of the IDF General Staff from 2007 to 2011. The confrontation between the Likud party, led by Netanyahu, and Blue and White, whose members include G. Ashkenazi and B. Gantz, was temporarily resolved by the principle of rotation in the Prime Minister post. After one and a half years of being in power, Netanyahu should be replaced by Benny Gantz in March 2021 for the next year and a half. Despite the fact that today the opposition is making efforts to change the previously adopted principles and calling for early elections, the continuing instability and uncertainty significantly complicate the work of the new head of the Foreign Ministry. While Ashkenazi was not expected to make significant breakthroughs in foreign policy, he managed to achieve significant results in maintaining the image of Hezbollah’s threat in various world regions.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry regularly holds negotiations with its foreign counterparts and develops separate strategies for different countries based on potential and real threats that are in some way related to the Hezbollah group.
The spread of a negative image of Hezbollah in the Middle East does not require any considerable efforts from Israel. The national interests of many countries in the region complement the interests of Tel Aviv. Hezbollah is their ideological and political bitter enemy.
The most aggressive towards the Shia organization are the Sunni monarchies, primarily Bahrain, Qatar and Saudi Arabia. For example, back in 2013 Bahrain concluded that the Hezbollah’s attacks bring to its designation as criminal. It was decided to abandon the use of the division of the party into political and paramilitary branches; therefore, a complex assessment of its activities was carried out. Bahrain is de facto an absolute monarchy, where power is concentrated in the hands of the ruling Sunni clan, and the majority of the population is Shia, who does not actually have the same civil rights and opportunities as the Sunni minority. Therefore, among the Bahraini population, Hezbollah is particularly popular, what the Sunni royal house considers as a direct threat. At the same time, states such as Oman and the UAE, which officially include Hezbollah under the heading “terrorist organizations”, at the level of national elites have a more balanced attitude towards the “Party of God.”
Significant success in creating an image of a dangerous threat from Hezbollah has been achieved in the countries of Latin America, where members of the Lebanese group are actively infiltrating local armed factions through ties with local Shia communities. In this region, the threat of inclusion of members of the Lebanese group in the illegal drug and arms market is quite real and causes an appropriate reaction from the local government. The situation is the most dangerous in Argentina, Paraguay and Brazil, where the largest Shia communities are located. Another reason of a severe reaction to Hezbollah’s activities is that these countries face another liberal turn in their history, and the influence of the United States is strengthening there.
The European direction is of particular importance for Israeli policy. There, Tel Aviv bets on the primary conviction of each separate country. Its efforts are yielding results, in recent months a number of countries in the region have taken measures to prevent the influence of the Shia organization in their territories.
The main obstacle to Israeli policy in the region is the position of France, one of the leading countries of the European Union. Macron is taking significant steps to maintain French influence in the territories of the former colonies, Lebanon is no exception. Paris is aware that actions against Hezbollah will entail significant changes in relations between the two countries. It is forced to reckon with the group, as it retains presence in influential political circles, and also has significant support among the population of Lebanon.
During Macron’s recent visits to Beirut, he paid special attention to direct communication with the population and spent quite a long time on the streets. This behavior is due to a number of reasons. First, the reports from his release to the Lebanese population were intended for intra-French consumption, thereby Macron showed his adherence to the basic principle of justice and multicultural approach. At the same time, in an effort to increase his popularity on the Lebanese streets, he seeks to reinforce a positive image of France. Taking into account the fact that Lebanon is one of the main footholds of the French influence in the region, the Macron’s public policy and his policy toward Hezbollah seem to be reasonable.
Despite the fact that the explosion in the port of Beirut and the subsequent aggravation of the economic and political crisis weakened the Hezbollah’s support among the Lebanese population, Macron apparently does not seek to make harsh decisions against the organization and expresses a neutral position. At the same time, not everyone supports the position of the president in the Champs Elysees and in the ranks of the French intelligentsia. Calls to ban the activities of the Lebanese group are regularly heard in the French Senate. A petition signed by nearly 30 famous personalities in France and published by Le Figaro received a wide response. It was calling on France and the EU to recognize Hezbollah as a terrorist organization, since “this is necessary to restore Lebanese sovereignty.”
Macron, in his turn, is in no hurry to change his position. This seems very unlikely due to the fact that the political wing of the organization declares openness to the reforms proposed by Macron after the disaster in the port of Beirut. It is hard to imagine that Macron would sacrifice long-term French interests in Lebanon in favor of the tactical benefits that France could gain from the United States, Israel or the Persian monarchies.
A deeper look reveals that Macron’s final goal is not to gain the sympathy of the Lebanese people but to fall in favor with Iran. For France, both Iranian hydrocarbons and the Iranian market are of great importance. In view of the expected detente in the Iranian relation with the United States, and therefore with the entire West, after President Biden takes office, it may turn out that the French business will be the most favorable among the Iranians. It concerns not only large state-owned Iranian economic undertakings, but also the people.
Thus, the systematic work of Israeli services can be traced in various world regions. Tel Aviv acts by identifying the major threats linked to Hezbollah for each country. This is confirmed by the case of Germany, which was biased against Hezbollah under the pretext of the threat of growing radical Islamism. The same threat seems to refer to most countries in the European Region. Latin America, in its turn, fears the integration of the Shia organization with local armed groups. A different tactic is implemented in the Middle East, where a growing number of states declare the normalization of relations with Israel, and have a common interest in reducing Iran’s influence in the region and opposing one of its main pillars – Hezbollah.
Israeli efforts will probably result in Tel-Aviv’s tactical victory. However, Israeli recognition of the Hezbollah’s political branch as a terrorist organization highly likely was a strategic mistake. Otherwise, Tel Aviv had at least a minimal opportunity to conduct a dialogue with them through American diplomacy. Today, the internal contradictions in Knesset are intensifying, the end to acute ethnic, religious, political conflicts in the region is not in sight, and the situation is exacerbated by the world economic crisis. In the minds of a significant part of the population in the whole region, the Shia organization will strengthen its status as an Islam defender, striving for social justice and fighting the Zionist threat. Consequently, Hezbollah will receive more supporters, more resources, and therefore more influence. Its members and supporters will be more encouraged to radical commitment and actions, including martyrdom for Hezbollah’s ideals.
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southfront--2020-12-13--Russian Military Police Established Positions In Syria’s Al-Bukamal, Near Iraqi Broder

The Russian Military Police have established a headquarters in the Syrian town of al-Bukamal on the border line with Iraq , the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights ( SOHR ) reported on December 10 .
The headquarters was established inside the “ Tourist Hotel ” in the center of the town , which is located in the southern Deir Ezzor countryside .
The SOHR claimed the Russian Military Police deployment in al-Bukamal is somehow meant to challenge Iran ’ s influence in southern Deir Ezzor .
This claim is pretty questionable .
It is the fact that Iranian-backed forces maintain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ especially on the border with Iraq .
However , Russia ’ s presence there is not new .
The Russian Military Police have been patrolling the region for three years .
The Russian military presence in Deir Ezzor is , in fact , meant to confront the threat posed by ISIS as well as the US-led coalition .
The US and its ally , the Syrian Democratic Forces , are in control of the governorate ’ s eastern part .
Several coalition bases with dozens of heavily-armed troops are situated on the eastern @ @ @ @ @ @ @ few hundred meters away from the government-held western bank .
In the last three years , many reports talked about US plans to attack al-Bukamal , the only open route between Iraq and government-held areas in Syria .
The Russian and Iranian military presence in the Deir Ezzor are meant to deter the US and prevent any such move .
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The Russian Military Police have established a headquarters in the Syrian town of al-Bukamal on the border line with Iraq, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported on December 10.
The headquarters was established inside the “Tourist Hotel” in the center of the town, which is located in the southern Deir Ezzor countryside.
The SOHR claimed the Russian Military Police deployment in al-Bukamal is somehow meant to challenge Iran’s influence in southern Deir Ezzor. This claim is pretty questionable.
“This development comes after several attempts opposed by the Iranian militias which control the town,” the SOHR’s report read.
It is the fact that Iranian-backed forces maintain a large presence in Deir Ezzor, especially on the border with Iraq. However, Russia’s presence there is not new. The Russian Military Police have been patrolling the region for three years.
The Russian military presence in Deir Ezzor is, in fact, meant to confront the threat posed by ISIS as well as the US-led coalition. The US and its ally, the Syrian Democratic Forces, are in control of the governorate’s eastern part.
Several coalition bases with dozens of heavily-armed troops are situated on the eastern bank of the Euphrates River, a few hundred meters away from the government-held western bank.
In the last three years, many reports talked about US plans to attack al-Bukamal, the only open route between Iraq and government-held areas in Syria. The Russian and Iranian military presence in the Deir Ezzor are meant to deter the US and prevent any such move.
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southfront--2020-12-13--The Saker: “NATO and the EU are sending a “message” to Russia. Again”

Written by The Saker ; Originally appeared at The Unz Review I lived most of my life in Europe and even though by the time I moved to the USA ( 2002 ) Europe was already in a very bad shape , what I see happening there now never ceases to amaze me .
In fact , it makes me wonder if the Europeans or , more accurately , the European leaders have gone completely insane .
Either that , or maybe they have some kind of death wish ?
The first thing which absolutely amazes me is the fact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if this was still the 1980s when Europe still mattered and when the European continent was relatively prosperous .
And even when EU leaders acknowledge the problems facing Europe today ( crime , immigration , lockdowns , civil unrest , tensions with Russia , self-defeating sanctions under US pressure , etc . )
, they systematically deal with them ( so to speak ) by minimizing their actual and potential impact and consequences .
And if nothing else matters , they use the riot police forces to “ solve ” the issue .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to believe that mantric incantations and some really dumb military “ for show ” activities along the borders of Russia will terrify the Kremlin and turn Russians into Poles .
Apparently , the entire analytical apparatus of NATO has never opened a history book .
Either that , or they have decided to ignore the lessons of history , because “ this time around ” the Russians will definitely surrender .
To be fair , all the military operations along the Russian border bother the Russians only because they show that the “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Russia .
But in purely military terms , they are a joke .
Not so long ago the endless western provocations eventually got a reaction out of Russia : the Russians re-created of the First Guards Tank Army ( FGTA ) .
For most people , the concept of “ Tank Army ” means little .
A “ Guards Tank Army ” even less .
So rather than use any Russian sources ( Putin ’ s never sleeping “ hackers ” and “ agents ” ) , let ’ s take a source @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : Wikipedia .
Please check this Wikipedia entry for the history of the First Guard Tank Army ” .
At the bottom of the article , there is a partial list of units and subunits composing this Army .
Check it out : • unknown Combat Engineer Regiment ( in formation until the end of 2018 ) ( unknown location in Moscow Oblast ) No need to go into all the details , but let ’ s just say two things about this Tank Army : first , it has a capabilities than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , this was the Army which really broke the back of the Nazi forces in WWII : it destroyed or captured 5,500 tanks , 491 self-propelled guns , 1,161 aircraft , 1,251 armored vehicles and armored personnel carriers , 4,794 guns of various calibers , 1,545 mortars , 5,797 machine guns , 31064 vehicles and other military equipment .
The 1st guards tank army fought its way from Kursk to Berlin , which stretched for three thousand kilometers ( source ) .
By the way , the FGTA will also get the very @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is no point in deploying the Armata family of armored vehicles elsewhere but towards the western borders of Russia ) , and the two most famous tank divisions of modern Russia .
Furthermore , we need to understand that this Tank Army will not operate in isolation , but will be directly supported by the Western and Southern Military Districts , the Black and Baltic Sea Fleets ( equipped with the newest Russian hypersonic missiles ) and the Aerospace Forces .
Even the powerful Northern Fleet and the Caspian Flotilla ( ! )
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ for central European operations thanks to the long reach of Russian missiles .
So what is the purpose of the FGTA ?
Think of it as a powerful armored “ fist ” whose main goal is to stop any enemy attack and then punch through its defenses .
Russia also announced that she will double the size of her Airborne Forces ( currently at 4 Airborne/Air Assault Divisions , 4 Air Assault Brigades , 1 Special Operations Brigade , with roughly 45 ’ 000+ soldiers ) .
Besides these Airborne/Air Assault units , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of her Spetsnaz Forces ( 8 Spetsnaz Brigades and 1 Spetsnaz Regiment according to the IISS ’ s Military Balance 2020 ) .
True , only part of these units will go to the Western and Southern Military Districts , but that is already much more than what NATO could realistically hope to be able to cope with ( for details , see here ) .
Here is a short video to give you a sense of how Russian Airborne Forces ( all fully mechanized , unlike their western “ equivalents ” ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Oh , and did I mention that the entire Russian nuclear triad has been modernized ( or is currently in the process of modernization ) ?
Now comes the interesting question : What kind of forces does NATO have which could deal with this kind of power ?
On paper , a lot .
In terms of raw numbers ( what military analysts call “ bean counts ” ) , the West has much larger forces than the Russian ones .
But , in reality , very , very little , at least @ @ @ @ @ @ @ today ?
First , a coalition of small countries trying to find the courage to bark at the Russian bear the way dozens of chihuahuas would bark at a big brown bear .
These small countries are what I call “ prostitute states ” – they don ’ t want sovereignty , freedom or dignity .
All they want is for Uncle Shmuel to protect them when they bark and for the EU to give them tons of money as a reward for their prostitution to the collective West .
They are apparently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ champion in destroying countries , but in terms of actually winning wars , Uncle Shmuel is one of the worst war losers in history ( in that sense , the US and Russian militaries are polar opposites ) .
They are also apparently unaware that the EU is broke and in a deep crisis .
Besides , even the normally compliant the Germans are now getting fed up spending billions of Euros on their clueless and hopeless eastern neighbors ( and I don ’ t blame them ! )
.
There are also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which used to have some very real military power and a history of winning and losing wars : Germany , the UK , France , etc – what Rumsfeld called “ Old Europe ” .
They are all former imperial powers of their own , and they are much more aware of what it takes to win ( or lose ) a war .
Their problem , however , is that they are now true US protectorates/colonies , with no real foreign policy of their own .
Their top leaders , political and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like “ New Europe ” , so while they have a wealth of historical experience to draw from , they can not act on it because of the iron grip Uncle Shmuel has on their political throats .
Even France , which used to have some real independence , under such leaders as de Gaulle and Mitterrand , now is just another voiceless and clueless protectorate .
Which leaves the USA .
I won ’ t repeat it all here , but to sum it all up : there are only two segments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still meaningfully combat capable : the nuclear triad and the US submarine forces ( strategic and attack ) .
Both use mostly old , even outdated , equipment , both waste absolutely fantastic sums of money , but both are still for real .
The problem with such a lop-sided force is that while it can devastate any enemy , it can only do so at the cost of being devastated by the Russian counter-strikes .
In other words , by the time the US SSN and SSBN are engaged against Russia , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ war ( even more so if nukes are used , which they probably will , at least on the tactical level ) .
Oh , and this too : no amount of subs and nukes can “ protect ” any part of Europe from a ( entirely hypothetical ) Russian attack ( conventional or not ) .
For that , you still need the one thing the US has the least of : combat capable “ boots on the ground ” .
Did you know that in the 1990s Russia almost had no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bigger than division/brigade sized forces .
And they were all in very bad shape .
And the Kremlin , under Eltsin , only wanted to further “ reform ” ( i.e .
“ destroy ” ) the Russian military .
So what brought about such dramatic changes in the Russian force posture ?
The EU/US/NATO war against the Serbian nation .
And the endless western threats , of course .
One could be excused for thinking that the collective West would have realized this mistake and that now they would try something smarter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ again , this time with the Kaliningrad enclave .
And they are now openly talking about “ dealing with Russia from a position of force ” !
Last time Germany tried that , it didn ’ t go too well , did it ?
Let me summarize what recently happened : the Russians mostly deployed defensive systems in Kaliningrad : air defenses , early warning radars , signals intelligence , fighters , interceptors , electronic warfare units , etc .
According to Russian sources , these systems had the ability to spy on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of simultaneously engaging 475 aerial targets ( missiles , aircraft , etc. )
.
Furthermore , these capabilities provided much needed support for the operations of the Baltic Sea Fleet .
Western analysts , always in search for some kind of buzzword or fancy sounding acronym , described that as “ aka A2/AD , and proceeded to use it as a justification for more money spending on completely unrealistic plans ( see here for a good example ) .
But that was not all , NATO commanders openly stated that they would “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” to “ deter ” Russia .
Again .
And , so they did .
They sent comparatively tiny forces to their 3B+PU ( that is 3 Balts plus Poland and the Ukraine ) protectorates where they played at all sorts of seriously sounding wargames .
Past behavior is the best predictor of future behavior , but NATO analysts apparently don ’ t know that .
But what had to happen did happen : Russia has now announced that she will create a full Motor-Rife Division inside the Kaliningrad enclave .
And this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” any “ messages ” to 3B+PU , NATO or anybody else .
But they will train for real war , the kind of war which Russia always waged on her enemies when attacked .
Bravo NATO !
Now you are going to have to deal with a much more dangerous force than before , well done !
As for the Poles , they are now claiming that the entire “ Fort Trump ” plan , of which they were so proud of , was just a concept .
Why ?
Because these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ team will remember how they backed Trump during the past four years ( as did the rest of the 3B+PUs ) .
This really is worth repeating : unlike those countries which heroically resisted the AngloZionist Empire ( Korea , Vietnam , Cuba , etc ) , or those who at least did not volunteer to be occupied ( Japan , Korea , Germany ) , the 3B+PU are the only countries actually willing to pay ( while being mostly broke ! )
for the US military to occupy them .
Just from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that irrespective of their numbers on paper , these country ’ s actual combat potential is close to zero ( the Russians remember very well that all the many units composed of volunteers from many European countries occupied by Germany and who were fighting on the side of Germany during WWII were only good at massacring and terrorizing civilians , but when faced with the regular Red Army they *always* ran like hell ) .
Finally , if you think of NATO as a structure , then the US military is both its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ US entering the worst crisis of its ( admittedly short ) history , it is completely unable to perform even its normal tasks , nevermind fighting the most powerful military force on the planet .
If the EU leaders had any kind of awareness of these realities , they could immediately embark on a series of steps to stop this insanity .
Amongst these could be such “ unthinkable ” steps as : • Declaring that Russia and/or Putin are not always responsible for all the evil and problems in the universe .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ but steady , confidence building measures , including resuming normal contacts between western and Russian militaries .
• Resuming economic collaboration with Russia , not because anybody has to like or approve of Putin , but simply to give the best possible conditions to the European industries .
• Stop parroting the idiocies Skripal/Navalnyi cooked up about Russia by the Anglos and tell them that they can fight their own ( useless ) propaganda wars if they like them so much .
• Getting together with the Russians and any mentally sane central @ @ @ @ @ @ @ together to save the Ukraine from its current implosion ( which will very negatively affect the EU , much more so than Russia ) .
• Define a list of policy issues in which Russia and the EU could work together , stuff like immigration , crime , terrorism , Takifirism , space , health crises , etc .
These are just a few , basic , suggestions .
A real list could be several pages long and be much wider than the few options I listed .
None of them require anything @ @ @ @ @ @ @ good old common sense .
But no , not only are EU leaders not making even small steps to return to sanity , they still think they can bully and threaten Russia into some kind of compliance .
I wish somebody told them something as simple as “ Russia ain ’ t Poland ” , really .
At the core of it all , there is a cultural difference : Europeans ( and nevermind their US bosses ! )
are not really afraid of war .
That is why they are not really @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Russians are very , very afraid of war , because they know and remember it .
This is why the West is all threats and no action , while Russia is all actions and no threats .
From the Russian point of view , the best way to avoid war is to really , really prepare for it .
One could argue that 1000 years of Russian history were a never ending lesson in preparation for war , especially since most wars fought by Russia were existential .
As my friend Andrei Martyanov @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Russians also have a saying : once every century Europeans gather their forces and go to Russia to get the shit beaten out of them ” .
He is right .
But last time around Russia lost 30+ millions of people in truly horrible battles .
She also lost most of her economy .
Then , in the 1990s , Russia almost completely disappeared as a country .
As a result , there is this notion of “ never again – enough is enough !
” underlying most Russian actions today .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the greatest possible risk for their own survival .
Take it from Putin himself , who recently declared “ as a citizen of Russia and the head of the Russian state I must ask myself : Why would we want a world without Russia ?
” MORE ON THE TOPIC : • Role Of Russia ’ s New Strategic Weapons Systems In Providing Strategic Deterrence

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Written by The Saker; Originally appeared at The Unz Review
I lived most of my life in Europe and even though by the time I moved to the USA (2002) Europe was already in a very bad shape, what I see happening there now never ceases to amaze me. In fact, it makes me wonder if the Europeans or, more accurately, the European leaders have gone completely insane. Either that, or maybe they have some kind of death wish?
The first thing which absolutely amazes me is the fact that the EU leaders are acting as if this was still the 1980s when Europe still mattered and when the European continent was relatively prosperous. And even when EU leaders acknowledge the problems facing Europe today (crime, immigration, lockdowns, civil unrest, tensions with Russia, self-defeating sanctions under US pressure, etc.), they systematically deal with them (so to speak) by minimizing their actual and potential impact and consequences. And if nothing else matters, they use the riot police forces to “solve” the issue.
Then there is NATO which now seems to believe that mantric incantations and some really dumb military “for show” activities along the borders of Russia will terrify the Kremlin and turn Russians into Poles. Apparently, the entire analytical apparatus of NATO has never opened a history book. Either that, or they have decided to ignore the lessons of history, because “this time around” the Russians will definitely surrender.
To be fair, all the military operations along the Russian border bother the Russians only because they show that the “collective West” still hates and fears Russia. But in purely military terms, they are a joke.
Not so long ago the endless western provocations eventually got a reaction out of Russia: the Russians re-created of the First Guards Tank Army (FGTA). For most people, the concept of “Tank Army” means little. A “Guards Tank Army” even less. So rather than use any Russian sources (Putin’s never sleeping “hackers” and “agents”), let’s take a source which nobody can suspect of being pro-Russian: Wikipedia. Please check this Wikipedia entry for the history of the First Guard Tank Army”. At the bottom of the article, there is a partial list of units and subunits composing this Army. Check it out:
Army Headquarters (Odintsovo, Moscow Oblast)
60th Command Brigade (Selyatino village near Odintsovo, Moscow Oblast)
2nd Guards Motor Rifle ‘Tamanskaya’ Division (Kalininets, Moscow Oblast)
4th Guards Tank ‘Kantemirovskaya’ Division (Naro-Fominsk, Moscow Oblast)
6th Separate Tank ‘Częstochowa’ Brigade (Mulino, Nizhny Novgorod Oblast)
27th Separate Guards Motor Rifle ‘Sevastopol’ Brigade (Mosrentgen, Moscow City)
112th Guards Missile ‘Novorossiysk’ Brigade (Shuya, Ivanovo Oblast) (9K720 Iskander)
288th Artillery ‘Warsaw’ Brigade (Mulino, Nizhny Novgorod Oblast)
49th Missile Air Defence Brigade (Krasnyi Bor, Smolensk Oblast) (Buk-M2)
96th Separate ISTAR (intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance) Brigade (Sormovo, Nizhny Novgorod City)
unknown Combat Engineer Regiment (in formation until the end of 2018) (unknown location in Moscow Oblast)
20th Separate NBC Defence Regiment (Tsentralny, Nizhny Novgorod Oblast)
69th Separate Logistics Brigade (Dzerzhinsk, Nizhny Novgorod Oblast)
No need to go into all the details, but let’s just say two things about this Tank Army: first, it has a lot more capabilities than “just” tanks and, second, this was the Army which really broke the back of the Nazi forces in WWII: it destroyed or captured 5,500 tanks, 491 self-propelled guns, 1,161 aircraft, 1,251 armored vehicles and armored personnel carriers, 4,794 guns of various calibers, 1,545 mortars, 5,797 machine guns, 31064 vehicles and other military equipment. The 1st guards tank army fought its way from Kursk to Berlin, which stretched for three thousand kilometers (source).
By the way, the FGTA will also get the very newest and best Russian tanks (there is no point in deploying the Armata family of armored vehicles elsewhere but towards the western borders of Russia), and the two most famous tank divisions of modern Russia.
Furthermore, we need to understand that this Tank Army will not operate in isolation, but will be directly supported by the Western and Southern Military Districts , the Black and Baltic Sea Fleets (equipped with the newest Russian hypersonic missiles) and the Aerospace Forces. Even the powerful Northern Fleet and the Caspian Flotilla (!) could, if needed, provide support for central European operations thanks to the long reach of Russian missiles.
So what is the purpose of the FGTA? Think of it as a powerful armored “fist” whose main goal is to stop any enemy attack and then punch through its defenses. Russia also announced that she will double the size of her Airborne Forces (currently at 4 Airborne/Air Assault Divisions, 4 Air Assault Brigades, 1 Special Operations Brigade, with roughly 45’000+ soldiers). Besides these Airborne/Air Assault units, the Russian military can also make use of her Spetsnaz Forces (8 Spetsnaz Brigades and 1 Spetsnaz Regiment according to the IISS’s Military Balance 2020). True, only part of these units will go to the Western and Southern Military Districts, but that is already much more than what NATO could realistically hope to be able to cope with (for details, see here).
Here is a short video to give you a sense of how Russian Airborne Forces (all fully mechanized, unlike their western “equivalents”) are preparing for next generation wars:
Oh, and did I mention that the entire Russian nuclear triad has been modernized (or is currently in the process of modernization)?
Now comes the interesting question:
What kind of forces does NATO have which could deal with this kind of power?
On paper, a lot. In terms of raw numbers (what military analysts call “bean counts”), the West has much larger forces than the Russian ones.
But, in reality, very, very little, at least of military value.
What is NATO today? First, a coalition of small countries trying to find the courage to bark at the Russian bear the way dozens of chihuahuas would bark at a big brown bear. These small countries are what I call “prostitute states” – they don’t want sovereignty, freedom or dignity. All they want is for Uncle Shmuel to protect them when they bark and for the EU to give them tons of money as a reward for their prostitution to the collective West. They are apparently unaware that Uncle Shmuel is a world champion in destroying countries, but in terms of actually winning wars, Uncle Shmuel is one of the worst war losers in history (in that sense, the US and Russian militaries are polar opposites). They are also apparently unaware that the EU is broke and in a deep crisis. Besides, even the normally compliant the Germans are now getting fed up spending billions of Euros on their clueless and hopeless eastern neighbors (and I don’t blame them!).
There are also more civilized countries in NATO, countries which used to have some very real military power and a history of winning and losing wars: Germany, the UK, France, etc – what Rumsfeld called “Old Europe”. They are all former imperial powers of their own, and they are much more aware of what it takes to win (or lose) a war.
Their problem, however, is that they are now true US protectorates/colonies, with no real foreign policy of their own. Their top leaders, political and military, are also prostitutes, just like “New Europe”, so while they have a wealth of historical experience to draw from, they cannot act on it because of the iron grip Uncle Shmuel has on their political throats. Even France, which used to have some real independence, under such leaders as de Gaulle and Mitterrand, now is just another voiceless and clueless protectorate.
Which leaves the USA. I won’t repeat it all here, but to sum it all up: there are only two segments of the US military forces which are still meaningfully combat capable: the nuclear triad and the US submarine forces (strategic and attack). Both use mostly old, even outdated, equipment, both waste absolutely fantastic sums of money, but both are still for real. The problem with such a lop-sided force is that while it can devastate any enemy, it can only do so at the cost of being devastated by the Russian counter-strikes. In other words, by the time the US SSN and SSBN are engaged against Russia, we will be dealing with a large-scale war (even more so if nukes are used, which they probably will, at least on the tactical level). Oh, and this too: no amount of subs and nukes can “protect” any part of Europe from a (entirely hypothetical) Russian attack (conventional or not). For that, you still need the one thing the US has the least of: combat capable “boots on the ground”.
Did you know that in the 1990s Russia almost had no defenses in the western direction? Nothing bigger than division/brigade sized forces. And they were all in very bad shape. And the Kremlin, under Eltsin, only wanted to further “reform” (i.e. “destroy”) the Russian military.
So what brought about such dramatic changes in the Russian force posture?
The EU/US/NATO war against the Serbian nation.
And the endless western threats, of course.
One could be excused for thinking that the collective West would have realized this mistake and that now they would try something smarter?
Nope!
They did exactly the same thing again, this time with the Kaliningrad enclave.
And they are now openly talking about “dealing with Russia from a position of force”!
Last time Germany tried that, it didn’t go too well, did it?
Let me summarize what recently happened: the Russians mostly deployed defensive systems in Kaliningrad: air defenses, early warning radars, signals intelligence, fighters, interceptors, electronic warfare units, etc. According to Russian sources, these systems had the ability to spy on much of northern Europe and were capable of simultaneously engaging 475 aerial targets (missiles, aircraft, etc.). Furthermore, these capabilities provided much needed support for the operations of the Baltic Sea Fleet.
Western analysts, always in search for some kind of buzzword or fancy sounding acronym, described that as “anti-access and area denial” aka A2/AD, and proceeded to use it as a justification for more money spending on completely unrealistic plans (see here for a good example). But that was not all, NATO commanders openly stated that they would “send” all sorts of “signals” to “deter” Russia. Again. And, so they did. They sent comparatively tiny forces to their 3B+PU (that is 3 Balts plus Poland and the Ukraine) protectorates where they played at all sorts of seriously sounding wargames.
Past behavior is the best predictor of future behavior, but NATO analysts apparently don’t know that. But what had to happen did happen: Russia has now announced that she will create a full Motor-Rife Division inside the Kaliningrad enclave. And this division won’t be “sending” any “messages” to 3B+PU, NATO or anybody else. But they will train for real war, the kind of war which Russia always waged on her enemies when attacked. Bravo NATO! Now you are going to have to deal with a much more dangerous force than before, well done!
As for the Poles, they are now claiming that the entire “Fort Trump” plan, of which they were so proud of, was just a concept. Why? Because these losers are now terrified that the Biden team will remember how they backed Trump during the past four years (as did the rest of the 3B+PUs). This really is worth repeating: unlike those countries which heroically resisted the AngloZionist Empire (Korea, Vietnam, Cuba, etc), or those who at least did not volunteer to be occupied (Japan, Korea, Germany), the 3B+PU are the only countries actually willing to pay (while being mostly broke!) for the US military to occupy them. Just from that perspective any Russian will immediately conclude that irrespective of their numbers on paper, these country’s actual combat potential is close to zero (the Russians remember very well that all the many units composed of volunteers from many European countries occupied by Germany and who were fighting on the side of Germany during WWII were only good at massacring and terrorizing civilians, but when faced with the regular Red Army they *always* ran like hell).
Finally, if you think of NATO as a structure, then the US military is both its foundation and its cornerstone. With the US entering the worst crisis of its (admittedly short) history, it is completely unable to perform even its normal tasks, nevermind fighting the most powerful military force on the planet.
If the EU leaders had any kind of awareness of these realities, they could immediately embark on a series of steps to stop this insanity. Amongst these could be such “unthinkable” steps as:
Declaring that Russia and/or Putin are not always responsible for all the evil and problems in the universe.
Immediately being to take small, but steady, confidence building measures, including resuming normal contacts between western and Russian militaries.
Resuming economic collaboration with Russia, not because anybody has to like or approve of Putin, but simply to give the best possible conditions to the European industries.
Stop parroting the idiocies à la Skripal/Navalnyi cooked up about Russia by the Anglos and tell them that they can fight their own (useless) propaganda wars if they like them so much.
Getting together with the Russians and any mentally sane central European leaders to discuss what to do together to save the Ukraine from its current implosion (which will very negatively affect the EU, much more so than Russia).
Define a list of policy issues in which Russia and the EU could work together, stuff like immigration, crime, terrorism, Takifirism, space, health crises, etc.
These are just a few, basic, suggestions. A real list could be several pages long and be much wider than the few options I listed. None of them require anything painful or crucial from Europe, just good old common sense.
But no, not only are EU leaders not making even small steps to return to sanity, they still think they can bully and threaten Russia into some kind of compliance. I wish somebody told them something as simple as “Russia ain’t Poland”, really.
At the core of it all, there is a cultural difference: Europeans (and nevermind their US bosses!) are not really afraid of war. That is why they are not really prepared for it at all. The Russians are very, very afraid of war, because they know and remember it. This is why the West is all threats and no action, while Russia is all actions and no threats. From the Russian point of view, the best way to avoid war is to really, really prepare for it. One could argue that 1000 years of Russian history were a never ending lesson in preparation for war, especially since most wars fought by Russia were existential.
As my friend Andrei Martyanov recently mentioned in his blog, “Russians also have a saying: once every century Europeans gather their forces and go to Russia to get the shit beaten out of them”. He is right. But last time around Russia lost 30+ millions of people in truly horrible battles. She also lost most of her economy. Then, in the 1990s, Russia almost completely disappeared as a country. As a result, there is this notion of “never again – enough is enough!” underlying most Russian actions today.
The US and Europe can only ignore this at the greatest possible risk for their own survival. Take it from Putin himself, who recently declared “as a citizen of Russia and the head of the Russian state I must ask myself: Why would we want a world without Russia?”
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southfront--2020-12-13--Military Situation In Syria On December 13, 2020 (Map Update)

Click to see the full-size image A brief overview of the recent developments in Syria : • Syria slammed the @ @ @ @ @ politicized and called on the UN to stop political games ; • On December 12 @ @ @ @ @ out a patrol near Malekiyah city ; • On December 12 , artillery of Turkish-backed @ @ @ @ @ Issa area despite the agreement reached between the Syrian Democratic Forces ( SDF ) and @ @ @ @ @ SAA ) to create 3 new joint posts in the area to de-escalate tensions ; @ @ @ @ @ SAA artillery shelled positions of Turkish-backed forces in the villages of Safuhin and Fatira ; @ @ @ @ @ Russian warplanes struck positions of Turkish-backed forces in the Kabani area ; • On December @ @ @ @ @ arrested the military leader of Ansar al-Islam group known as “ Abi Abd Almateen ” @ @ @ @ @ :

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A brief overview of the recent developments in Syria:
Syria slammed the position of the OPCW as politicized and called on the UN to stop political games;
On December 12, Russian Military Police carried out a patrol near Malekiyah city;
On December 12, artillery of Turkish-backed forces continue to shell Ain Issa area despite the agreement reached between the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) to create 3 new joint posts in the area to de-escalate tensions;
On December 13, SAA artillery shelled positions of Turkish-backed forces in the villages of Safuhin and Fatira;
On December 12, Russian warplanes struck positions of Turkish-backed forces in the Kabani area;
On December 12, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham arrested the military leader of Ansar al-Islam group known as “Abi Abd Almateen”.
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