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| Russia to reinforce, rearm division on Kurile Islands |
| 2011-02-27 |
| (Itar-Tass) -- Russia will restructure and rearm its 18th Machinegun and Artillery Division on the Kurile Islands, Defence Minister Anatoly Serdyukov said. The minister is on a two-day trip to Kamchatka and Vladivostok. "In part, the purpose of this trip was to see how the machinegun and artillery division will be integrated into the forces deployed in Vladivostok, Sakhalin and Kamchatka," Serdyukov said on Saturday, February 26. "The grouping will change its structure: it may actually be slightly reduced by a small number of people," he said. But "it will be reinforced with the newest communication and electronic warfare systems and radars," he added. "It will most likely be deployed in two compounds on two islands -- Kunashir and Irutup," Serdyukov said. "That will be quite enough," he added. The 18th Machinegun and Artillery Division is the only such permanent readiness unit in the Russian Armed Forces. Its regiments are stationed on Kunashir and Iturup and armed with tanks, armoured fighting vehicles, artillery systems, air defence and anti-tank systems, and machineguns. Russia may build up its military presence on the Kurile Islands if faced with a security threat, State Duma Defence Committee Chairman Viktor Zavarzin said earlier. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #5 |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2011-02-28 00:17 |
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| Posted by: gromky 2011-02-27 18:21 |
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| Posted by: Old Patriot 2011-02-27 15:55 |
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| Posted by: Water Modem 2011-02-27 14:59 |
| #1 |
| Posted by: Mike Ramsey 2011-02-27 08:35 |