President Vladimir Putin held a meeting yesterday with the permanent members of the Russian Security Council to discuss a number of military options facing the country. The Kremlin site reported the transcript of part of that discussion, including the following exchanges on three points between Putin and Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu. The third point includes discussion of the possible deployment of “those new modern systems” of Russian weaponry to the country’s western border with Europe. (http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/67960)
Shoigu: “We are receiving a huge number of requests from all manner of volunteers from different countries, who would like to come to the Luhansk and Donetsk People’s Republics to take part in the liberation movement.… Over 16,000 [requests] have come from the Middle East. We believe that we should grant these requests.… We know many of them; they helped us fight ISIS in the most difficult period….
“The second, Mr. President. In light of the uncontrollable arms deliveries to Ukraine from all parties … we suggest turning the air defense systems, for example, man-portable SAMs, and anti-tank missile systems over to the Luhansk and Donetsk People’s Republics to build up the combat ability of their militia.… There are also many Javelins and Stingers [seized from Ukrainian forces]. We suggest transferring them to the Luhansk and Donetsk militias as well, so that they can defend their republics more effectively.…
“Finally, the third and more serious issue, Mr. President, and I am asking for your approval. The General Staff has analyzed all the measures taken by the West to beef up their forces near Russia’s western borders … when absolutely nothing threatens them. Nevertheless, we believe that they want to take advantage of this situation and to saturate the area along the border with forces and resources to the maximum extent, and they will undoubtedly want to preserve this situation for a long time. Consequently, the General Staff is drafting and has nearly completed a plan for reinforcing Russia’s western borders, including, naturally, with those new modern systems and the deployment of military units to defend our western borders.”
Putin responded: “If you see that some volunteers would like to come and help the people in Donbas, especially without pay, then we should meet them halfway and help them relocate to the war zone.
“The second, regarding weapons deliveries, especially those of Western weapons that have been seized by the Russian Army. I, of course, support the decision to hand them over to the military units in the Luhansk and Donetsk People’s Republics. Please do this….
“The third matter deals with the reinforcement of the Russian Federation’s western borders in view of the NATO countries’ actions in this area and in response to what they are doing. This calls for a separate discussion. I would like to ask you to prepare a report on the issue separately. We will make the decision following its discussion in the near future.”
