Russia must strengthen its military and step up spying on the west in response to US plans to site parts of a missile defence shield in eastern Europe, President Vladimir Putin warned on Wednesday.Addressing newly-promoted military and security officers, Mr Putin said new US military bases in eastern Europe and the failure of Nato countries to ratify an updated version of a Cold War treaty capping levels of conventional forces in Europe were threats to Russian security.
“One of our absolute priorities is an all-round strengthening of the armed forces,” Mr Putin told the Kremlin gathering. He listed not just terrorism but US military plans among “global threats” to be tackled.
“Both the situation in the world and internal political interests demand that Russia’s foreign intelligence service constantly increases its resources, above all in the field of information and analytical support for the country’s leadership,” Mr Putin added.
The president has spoken often of the need to strengthen RussiaÂ’s military and intelligence capabilities after years of underinvestment.
| Putin's comments marked the clearest link yet between issues such as the US missile defence plans and the need to strengthen espionage activities. |
Both the US and the UK have reported increased Russian spying.
Mr PutinÂ’s remarks also showed he was determined to maintain pressure over the missile shield plans in spite of making recent offers to substitute a planned US radar station in the Czech Republic with use of a Soviet-built radar in Azerbaijan, or a new radar in southern Russia.
“There has so far been no response to our proposed alternative plans for defence against these hypothetical – I want to underline, hypothetical – missile threats,” Mr Putin noted.
Russia disputes US claims that the missile shield is designed to guard against future threats from rogue states such as Iran.
| Let's see .... diplomatic crisis? check. assasinations? check. youth corps built around cult of personality & nationalism? check. increased spying? check. military aircraft challenging NATO airspace? check. removal/disappearance of opposition leaders within Russia? check. yup, the silent putsch is well along now. |
| As Orrin Judd says: "Nothing goes with socialism like nationalism". |