Russia can strengthen its force in Crimea long range aircraft Tu-22M3 as a counterweight placed at the base of the US missile defense in Romania, said on Wednesday at the Ministry of Defense. Communication between the base missile defenses in Romania and bombers in the Crimea enough tight, direct response to the missile defense system are still the ballistic missiles.
In the existing Air Force base in the Crimea can be placed strategic bombers Tu -22M3, said Wednesday “Interfax” referring to a source in the Russian Defense Ministry. Military officials told the news agency that the deployment of bombers – “one of the measures taken in response to the deployment on the territory of Romania, the US anti-missile base.”
The Defense Ministry noted that at this stage, “considered sufficient” to place in the Crimea, a squadron of Tu-22M3, but in the long term the number of aircraft may be increased to a regiment.
Base of US missile defense system in Romania, which falls into the range of the Tu-22M3, is one of the elements of the European missile defense system. In Romania, placed missiles with Aegis interceptor missiles the SM-3. The White House has repeatedly stated that the European missile defense system is not directed against Russia and is intended to reflect a missile attack from Iran.
Moscow earlier warned that the territory of its former Warsaw Pact allies – Romania – could be at risk in the event of a military conflict between Russia and NATO. In June, Deputy Secretary of the Security Council Yevgeny Lukyanov said that the countries that host missile defense, “automatically become our goals.”
Prior to that, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said that the US turn Romania into “supporting the bridgehead of US and NATO”, although, he said, “Russia does not pose any threat to Romania.”
The bomber-missile long-range aircraft Tu-22M3 – an enhanced version of the Tu-22M, one of the oldest aircraft available on the Russian Army. Its main purpose – to carry tactical nuclear weapons to attack the enemy’s territory for many kilometers from the target-based.
In Soviet times, the commander of the Tu-22 was Dzhokhar Dudayev, who later became general of the Soviet army and the rebel leader of Ichkeria. Now in service with the Russian Army are from 93 to 150 Tu-22M3.
Last year, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu demanded by aircraft manufacturers to upgrade aircraft to achieve a high level of health of all types of long-range aircraft missile. At the same time, he stated that the agency “satisfy those rates, which we leave on the Tu-22M3″. According to the Russian military, range aircraft will carry out air cover of the Black Sea.
In October 2014, a group of Republican members of the Defense Committee of the US Congress House of Representatives, led by Committee Chairman Howard McKeon sent an appeal to Barack Obama.
In it they wrote about the plans of the Russian leadership post in the Crimea, the Tu-22 squadron, as well as tactical complexes “Iskander” about how decisions already taken.
In the address Congress this step was regarded as a gross violation of international norms, because it means the possibility of placing a tactical nuclear weapons on the territory of which, from the point of view of the United States, became part of the Russian Federation as a result of the annexation, that “allows Russia to get the military advantage from the capture of Crimea, that is benefiting from the action undertaken.” In response, key representatives of the Defense Committee offered to take tough measures – in particular, to cease all contact with Russia through NATO and forbid her to carry out verification missions over strategic targets US and NATO under the contract “Open Skies”.
According to a leading expert of the Association of Military Political analyst Alexander Perendzhieva, the possibility that the bombers could potentially carry tactical nuclear weapons is not only a “hint for American partners”, but must be viewed in the overall context of the defense of the Crimea ” Here you can talk not only about Romania. The Black Sea is constantly enter the American ships, “- said the expert.
However, the head of the Russian Council on Foreign Affairs Andrei Kortunov believes that the direct link between the deployment of the Tu-22M3 in the Crimea and the advent of a missile defense base in Romania quite tight.
«The immediate response to the missile defense system are still the ballistic missiles. Just transfer bombers – is that you can do right now, “- said the expert.
According to Kortunova, this step should be taken “in the strategic context”: “The activity of NATO in the Black Sea region is now really has grown. And it is not only about missile defense, but the whole complex of measures and actions: this military exercises on Ukrainian territory and the total presence of the Navy. So, from the Russian point of view, transfer of the bombers – a forced move, and retaliation to protect their interests. ”
Regarding the possibilities for accommodation in Crimea nuclear weapons Kortunov explained that “tactical nuclear weapons Russia has long been a headache for the United States.” “Therefore, his appearance in the Crimea, can certainly cause a lot of irritation, – he explains. – However, we must realize that the issue could hurt not only the US, but also our neighbors on the Black Sea, which is hardly in the interests of Moscow. I do not think that Russia is beneficial for Turkey to feel the threat from the territory of Crimea. ”
Therefore, the assumption Kortunova, Russia is likely to could give any guarantees in this regard.
The exact information about whether it would be taken by nuclear weapons in the Crimea in the case of transfer to bombers capable of carrying tactical nuclear weapons, yet. However, in March 2015 the director of department on non-proliferation and arms control, the Russian Foreign Ministry Mikhail Ulyanov, made a clarification that Russia has the right to place nuclear weapons on its entire territory, including Crimea.
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