NATO to closely follow Russia, China, Belarus drills near Baltic borders

[Shotgunner51]

NATO to closely follow Russia, China, Belarus drills near Baltic borders

• 2017-06-21
• LETA/TBT Staff

VILNIUS - NATO will closely follow Russia's military exercises near the Baltic countries' borders, including its joint drills with Belarus and China, the Alliance's secretary general said in Lithuania on Tuesday.

Jens Stoltenberg called for transparency at Russia-China joint naval drills in the Baltic Sea in late June and at Zapad, a major military exercise to be held jointly by Russia and Belarus in September.

China's media reported on Monday that three Chinese ships would soon join Russian vessels for drills near St.Petersburg and Kaliningrad. Reportedly, the drills will also include Chinese ship-borne helicopters.

Stoltenberg told reporters in the central Lithuanian district of Jonava that the Alliance was "monitoring all military activities around NATO territory and also close to our territorial waters very closely".​

"And, of course, we also follow any exercises and military presence in the Baltic sea from many nations including from China," the secretary general said.​

"Nations have the right to exercise their forces, the important thing for us is that this is done in accordance with the international obligations, and rules and arrangements we have for military exercises," he said.​

Russia and China have taken turns hosting the Joint Sea drills since 2012, but some observers note that this year's exercise in the Baltic Sea will take place just before US President Donald Trump's visit to Poland.

Stoltenberg said that NATO was also closely following the Zapad drills to be held by Russia and Belarus in September and would raise issues of transparency via the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and at meetings between NATO and Russian officials.

"We are going to follow and monitor the Zapad exercise closely. We call on Russia and also Belarus to do that in accordance with the Vienna document so that we have transparency, predictability related to Zapad 2017," the Alliance's secretary general said.​

"We are also working in the framework of the NATO-Russia Council to have more transparency, predictability connected to military posture but also exercises. That is always important but especially important now when we see more military presence along our borders in this region," he said.​

Lithuania's military intelligence says that the Zapad scenario will simulate an armed conflict with NATO and warns about possible provocations in the border area during the war games.

Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite said at the joint news conference in the Jonava district that by enhancing its capabilities Eastern Europe, NATO had demonstrated its firm commitment to ensure deterrence and defense, but added that Lithuania would seek even swifter decision-making and greater air defense capabilities in the region


https://www.baltictimes.com/nato_to...a__china__belarus_drills_near_baltic_borders/

 

[帅的一匹]

They need Burnol

 

[Beast]

China shall send a whole fleet to exercise with Russian.

 

[Han Patriot]

China in the Baltics, wow....first time

 

[Shotgunner51]

China in the Baltics, wow....first time

Previously China and Russia held drill in the Mediterranean, reason was simple, the region is crucial to energy security. In similar fashion, the Baltic region is also crucial to security of merchandise trade. As a responsible global citizen, a surplus & creditor nation, Chinese taxpayers should gradually shoulder a fair share of bills in international maritime security. More PLAN activity in these regions will be normal.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/wor...th-joint-navy-exercises-in-Mediterranean.html
http://www.businessinsider.com/china-energy-security-in-mediterranean-2015-5

 

[Shotgunner51]

Chinese armored personnel carriers to enter service with Belarus Armed Forces
21.06.2017 | 10:58

MINSK, 21 June (BelTA) – The most advanced Chinese wheeled armored personnel carriers will enter service with the Armed Forces of Belarus, BelTA learned from the website of the Belarusian Defense Ministry. In accordance with the agreement between the Belarusian Defense Ministry and the Chinese Ministry of National Defense on gratuitous military and technical assistance, the delivery of another installment of the equipment will begin on 21 June. The Belarusian Armed Forces will receive the latest armored vehicles CS/VN3 produced in Chongqing. Representatives of the Belarusian Armed Forces were in China to undergo training in maintenance and use of these vehicles at the factory.

It is not the first instance of the gratuitous military and technical assistance from China. The Belarusian Armed Forces received the ceremonial cars FAW HongQi L5 in spring 2015 and the high mobility vehicles EQ2050 Mengshi DongFeng a few years earlier.

Read full text at: http://eng.belta.by/society/view/ch...ervice-with-belarus-armed-forces-102579-2017/

The first wheeled light armored vehicles gifted by the government of China has arrived in Minsk National Airport 20 June.

• The CS/VN3 can carry a total of 10 soldiers including driver, commander, and 8 troops. The armored personnel carriers weigh 8.7 ton and the all-welded steel hull provides protection against small arms, shell splinters.
• The vehicles are motorized with a turbo diesel engine (245 hp) coupled to a mechanical transmission. It can run at a maximum speed of 100 km/h with a maximum cruising range of 800 km.
• The engine and the transmission are located at the front of the vehicle. The vehicle is fitted with an independent suspension and bracket with double horizontal arms. The driver is seated at the front left side and the commander at its right. One single door is available on each side of the hull and one more at the rear.
• The CS/VN3 can be fitted with a roof-mounted turret, armed with a 7.62 mm machine gun. In addition, smoke grenade launchers can be installed on the turret.
• Source http://defence-blog.com/army/belarus-receives-first-batch-of-csvn3-armoured-vehicles-from-china.html

 

[UKBengali]

Russia + China = able to take on Nato.

Belarus = lol

 

[Piotr]

China in the Baltics, wow....first time

It will not be the first time. In 2015 Chinese warships were with friendly visit in Polish port in Gdynia:

Chinese flotilla docks in Polish port in first ever visit
Wed Oct 7, 2015 4:10PM

Three Chinese warships have dropped anchor in Poland on the first such visit to the European country aimed at further strengthening ties with the NATO member state.

A destroyer, a frigate and a supply vessel sailed into the Polish Baltic Sea port of Gdynia on Wednesday, marking 66 years of diplomatic ties between Beijing and Warsaw, public broadcaster, TVP, reported.

The spokesman for Poland's 3rd Navy Flotilla, Captain Major Przemyslaw Plonecki, said the flotilla's command officers paid an official visit to the destroyer in a welcoming ceremony.

The visit comes at the invitation of Poland's Navy command.

The website of the Chinese embassy said Poland is the sixth stop of the vessels on a “worldwide visit.” The ships have already docked in Sudan, Egypt, Denmark, Finland and Sweden.

According to the Chinese embassy, the anti-air force destroyer, Jinan 152, the Yiyang 548 frigate and the Qiandaohu 886, which all belong to the Chinese Navy's 20th Task Force, will remain in the Polish port until October 11.

The Chinese vessels will be also open to the public for the next five days.

The three Chinese vessels had been part of international anti-pirate patrols in the Gulf of Aden off the coast of Somalia.

China-Poland relations officially began in October 1949.
Source: http://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2015/10/07/432409/China-naval-fleet-flotilla-Poland-Gdynia

 

[Fledgingwings]

NATO can do nothing about it.

 

[Han Patriot]

It will not be the first time. In 2015 Chinese warships were with friendly visit in Polish port in Gdynia:

Chinese flotilla docks in Polish port in first ever visit
Wed Oct 7, 2015 4:10PM

Three Chinese warships have dropped anchor in Poland on the first such visit to the European country aimed at further strengthening ties with the NATO member state.

A destroyer, a frigate and a supply vessel sailed into the Polish Baltic Sea port of Gdynia on Wednesday, marking 66 years of diplomatic ties between Beijing and Warsaw, public broadcaster, TVP, reported.

The spokesman for Poland's 3rd Navy Flotilla, Captain Major Przemyslaw Plonecki, said the flotilla's command officers paid an official visit to the destroyer in a welcoming ceremony.

The visit comes at the invitation of Poland's Navy command.

The website of the Chinese embassy said Poland is the sixth stop of the vessels on a “worldwide visit.” The ships have already docked in Sudan, Egypt, Denmark, Finland and Sweden.

According to the Chinese embassy, the anti-air force destroyer, Jinan 152, the Yiyang 548 frigate and the Qiandaohu 886, which all belong to the Chinese Navy's 20th Task Force, will remain in the Polish port until October 11.

The Chinese vessels will be also open to the public for the next five days.

The three Chinese vessels had been part of international anti-pirate patrols in the Gulf of Aden off the coast of Somalia.

China-Poland relations officially began in October 1949.
Source: http://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2015/10/07/432409/China-naval-fleet-flotilla-Poland-Gdynia

But I don't think they ever had an exercise off the Baltic Sea. China did visit a lot of country's port though.

 

[Piotr]

You're right. It will be the first time for PLAN to have military exercises in the Baltic Sea.

 

[Shotgunner51]

It is not the first instance of the gratuitous military and technical assistance from China. The Belarusian Armed Forces received the ceremonial cars FAW HongQi L5 in spring 2015 and the high mobility vehicles EQ2050 Mengshi DongFeng a few years earlier.

Pictures taken from the Independence Day military parade, Minsk, Belarus

 

[onebyone]

Russia and NATO War Games in Europe See New Player: China

Russia and China have begun naval exercises in the Baltic Sea, the most significant sign of military cooperation between the two major powers in a region seen as a flashpoint for Moscow's rivalry with Western military alliance NATO.

Russia's ambassador to China Andrei Denisov acknowledged Friday that the joint drills conducted by Russian and Chinese armed forces were unique, especially in the increasingly militarized Baltic region, but denied that the nations were "scaring off" rival powers. The Baltics have become a major point of contention between Russia and U.S.-led NATO, which have both devoted extensive military resources toward fortifying the region's borders. The two factions accuse one another of instigating a European arms race, but Denisov dismissed Western concerns Friday.

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"Those who are scared off are inclined to being scared," he added.

View photos
RTSOJ3R
A Chinese soldier waves farewell to Russian fleets as the Chinese-Russian joint naval drill concludes in Zhanjiang, Guangdong Province, China, September 19, 2016. Russia and China, which trail behind only the U.S. in military power, have sought greater cooperation in recent years and have begun joint naval drills in the highly contested Baltic Sea, where NATO has raised its defenses. Stringer/Reuters " data-reactid="37" style="margin-bottom: 1em; color: rgb(38, 40, 42); font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">A Chinese soldier waves farewell to Russian fleets as the Chinese-Russian joint naval drill concludes in Zhanjiang, Guangdong Province, China, September 19, 2016. Russia and China, which trail behind only the U.S. in military power, have sought greater cooperation in recent years and have begun joint naval drills in the highly contested Baltic Sea, where NATO has raised its defenses. Stringer/Reuters

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Changsha, mulitpurpose frigate Yuncheng, one comprehensive supply ship, ship-borne helicopters and a number of marines to St. Petersburg and Kaliningrad, a Baltic exclave of Russia located between Lithuania and Poland, Xinhua News Agency and Reuters reported. Days later, a U.S. spy plan and Russian jet reportedly came within five feet of one other over the Baltic Sea during an incident in which both nations said the other was at fault.

The Baltic Times reported. In response, the Russian Defense Ministry issued a statement maintaing that the exercises were routine and intended to "strengthen and bolster Russian-Chinese relations regarding overall strategic cooperation," according to TASS Russian News Agency. Additional drills are scheduled for mid-July.

View photos
GettyImages-605476586
Chinese and Russian marines take part in the 400-meter sea-crossing and landing training as a par of the China-Russia naval drill 'Joint Sea-2016' on September 13, 2016 in Zhanjiang, Guangdong Province of China. The two countries have recently signed a roadmap for greater military cooperation and may also seek to form a united front to counter U.S. pressure on North Korea and its nuclear weapons program. Li Jin/VCG via Getty Images " data-reactid="61" style="margin-bottom: 1em; color: rgb(38, 40, 42); font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Chinese and Russian marines take part in the 400-meter sea-crossing and landing training as a par of the China-Russia naval drill 'Joint Sea-2016' on September 13, 2016 in Zhanjiang, Guangdong Province of China. The two countries have recently signed a roadmap for greater military cooperation and may also seek to form a united front to counter U.S. pressure on North Korea and its nuclear weapons program. Li Jin/VCG via Getty Images


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https://www.yahoo.com/news/russia-nato-war-games-europe-181057486.html

 

[Shotgunner51]

China and Russia Joint Sea 2017 Baltic Naval Exercise Highlight a New Normal in Europe
By: Magnus Nordenman
July 5, 2017 3:18 PM

China and Russia planned exercise in the Baltic Sea is raising eyebrows in northern Europe, NATO headquarters and Washington.

Russian and Chinese troops shake hands during Exercise Joint-Sea 2015 on Aug. 25, 2015. Chinese MoD Photo​

Dubbed Joint Sea 2017, the China-Russia maritime exercise in late July will see the introduction of a People’s Liberation Army Navy destroyer, frigate, and a support ship into the Baltic Sea. The PLAN flotilla will join Russia’s Baltic Sea fleet off St. Petersburg for joint drills. Joint Sea 2017 follows on the heels of the latest iteration of BALTOPs, a U.S. Navy Europe-led annual exercise that in mid-June brought together some fifty ships and fifty aircraft — including a B-52 and a B-1 — from the U.S., Germany, Denmark, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and other allied navies.

The two-week naval exercise focused on high-end maritime warfighting drills in a corner of Europe that has been tense ever since Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014. The Baltic Sea has also been a space for close encounters between Russia and the United States over the last few years, both in the air and maritime domains. USS Donald Cook was repeatedly buzzed by Russian jets while operating in the Baltic Sea in 2016, and U.S. reconnaissance flights over the Baltic have repeatedly encountered Russian interceptions, with the Russian jets performing close maneuvers and showing off their weapons load outs by turning the underside of their wings towards the U.S. aircraft.

Amidst the tension, Joint Sea 2017 has caused consternation in northern Europe, and generated speculations about whether yet another great power is seeking to insert itself into an already on-edge region.

Chinese amphibious warship Changbaishan deploys what appear to be several ZBD-05 infantry fighting vehicles as part of Joint Sea 2015 on Aug. 25, 2015. Chinese MoD Photo​

The exercise in the Baltic may be seen as a subtle signal of Chinese support for Russia’s efforts to reshape the European security order; in a fashion not unlike the one being used by China in the South China Sea dispute. But the Chinese presence in the Baltic Sea for a joint exercise with Russia is not necessarily connected to the ongoing contest between a US-led NATO and a revanchist Russia.

Instead, the Chinese presence in the Baltic Sea could be seen as forming part of China’s growing sense of global interests. And this is not the first time that the PLAN turns up in European, or even northern, waters.

In May of 2015 Chinese warships conducted exercises with the Russian Black Sea fleet in both the Mediterranean and the Black Sea, and later the same year a small flotilla of Chinese ships passed through the Kiel Canal for the first time on their way to port visits in Poland, Finland and Denmark. Chinese warships on counter-piracy patrols off the Horn of Africa have also entered the Mediterranean from time to time to make port calls in Greece, Italy, and Spain. But China’s maritime presence around Europe has not only been about port visits and exercises; in 2011 the PLAN, while in the Mediterranean, directed a major non-combatant evacuation of Chinese citizens from Libya ahead of the uprising and air campaign that felled the Muammar Gaddafi regime.

A photo of Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy warships in 2014. PLAN Photo​

The Baltic is not unimportant to China and Beijing is eager to ensure that its ships have access to the global maritime domain. The Baltic Sea provides an outlet to the North Sea and the broader North Atlantic for northern and eastern Europe and some 10,000-cargo ships transit the Baltic on an annual basis. If the Russian vision of an Asia-Europe shipping route across the Arctic ever becomes reality the Baltic would provide convenient access to ports and markets in northern Europe. And while China’s interests in Europe and the maritime domains around the continent may be primarily commercial in nature, economic linkages tend to attract a naval presence as well. And naval power has a diplomatic quality to it, which is being used to forge ties when Chinese ships call in ports around the Baltic Sea and the Mediterranean.

China’s maritime focus will surely remain on the South China Sea and the Pacific for the foreseeable future, but the occasional presence of Chinese warships in European seas will likely be part of a new normal. It is yet another sign of how the world is increasingly competitive and contested, including in the maritime domain.

https://news.usni.org/2017/07/05/ch...ercise-highlight-new-normal-european-maritime

 

[Brutas]

Balance of power is a must to ensure multi-polar world. Sino-Russian lead alliance (SCO ??) should deploy troops in Mexico, South America and South East Asia (Australia will soon house large US military contingent).