Defense analyst Ilya Kramnik has been fired from Izvestia for publishing a critical analysis of an interview with defense minister Sergey Shoigu. Kramnik particularly addressed Shoigu’s inclination to taking credit for other people’s achievements and the propagandized nature of the Defense Ministry’s PR-practices under Shoigu.
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Russian battlecruiser Admiral Nakhimov delayed from maintenance until 2023
Russia may face a few years without any battlecruisers. The shipyard has announced that the maintenance and upgrade program of Admiral Nakhimov will take a few years longer than expected. This means that Admiral Nakhimov will not be ready to take over by the time a similar upgrade begins on Pyotr Velikiy in 2020.
Militarization in the Baltic and the Arctic compared: The Arctic is the dangerous place
The Arctic will not be a peaceful exception in a militarized world. In this post I compare the security situation in the Baltic and the Arctic. Both regions are militarized these days, but in very different ways. The most dangerous dynamics are in the Arctic, and it will get worse in the coming years.
Russia orders two more frigates and large landing ships
Russia has ordered two more Gorshkov-class frigates and two more Ivan Gren class landing ships. With this purchase they will have a total of six Gorshkov-class and four Ivan Gren class.
Update on Russia’s weapon development programs
Russia has some impressive new weapons under development, but many of the projects have been struck by problems and delays. Here is an overview of how things are going with the most spectacular programs.
Russia gets dedicated mobile network for military personnel
Russia’s new phone operator “Voentelekom” specializes in cellular connections for the military. This allows more secure mobile connections but also tighter surveillance of their own employees.
Another example of how we overrate Russia’s air defense weapons
The British Air Vice-Marshal Simon Rochelle has some dramatic assumptions about the usability of NATO aircraft in future peer-level wars. But a new FOI report calls for more cool-headed estimates of Russia’s air defense weapons.
New ships to expect for Russia’s navy in 2019
Here is a list of 11 new warships for Russia’s navy in 2019. It includes some large submarines and a new frigate.
US European forces chief wants more presence, Trump pushes for allies to pay
US general pushes for more warships in Europe to maintain American dominance. Trump wants allies to pay a premium for hosting US forces. The incompatibility between these two views is striking.
Frigate “Neustrashimy” set to re-join Baltic Fleet in November 2019
It looks like the frigate “Neustrashimy” will be back in service after five years under repair. With a little luck, all the big ships in the Russian Baltic Fleet will be operational for the first time in a long time.
Debate over USS Fitzgerald collision still misses point about broken US Navy procedures
The debate about the USS Fitzgerald accident is still off track. The interesting discussion is what to do about the fact that the US Navy has deficient navigation procedures.
