Russia Escalates Military Posture: Deploys Strategic Bombers To Crimea, Ballistic Missiles To Kaliningrad And Places Troops Near Finnish Border On Combat Readiness

Via Tass: Russian strategic bombers to be redeployed to Crimea amid snap check — source

Strategic missile carriers Tupolev TU-22M3 will be transferred to Crimea within the snap check that began on Monday, a source in the Russian Defense Ministry told TASS on Tuesday.

“Strategic missile carriers TU-22MS will be transferred to Crimea in the course of a surprise combat readiness inspection”, the source said.

In addition to that, jet fighters and bombers will be relocated to the Kaliningrad region. “Ground troops in the Baltic region will be boosted by the Iskander missile systems of the western military region. They will be delivered by big assault landing ships of the Baltic Fleet,” the source added.

Via Tass: Ballistic missile systems to be redeployed to Russia’s westernmost region — source

The Iskander tactical ballistic missile systems will be redeployed during a surprise inspection of troops to the Kaliningrad region in Russia’s northwest, a source in the Russian Defense Ministry told TASS on Tuesday.

“The redeployment of the fighter and bomber aviation is planned to the Kaliningrad region, and the army grouping in the Baltic region will be reinforced with the Iskander missile systems of the Western Military District that will be moved by the large landing ships of theBaltic Fleet,” said the source.

A surprise inspection of the Northern Fleet and separate formations of the Western Military District is being conducted in Russia in the period from March 16 to 21. The snap check involves some 38,000 troops, 3,360 units of military equipment, 41 warships, 15 submarines, 110 warplanes and helicopters.

Via Ile: Russian troops near Finnish border placed on combat readiness

Military exercises in north-west Russia include troops recently sent to Alakurtti, an isolated town 50km from the Finnish border that was part of Finland until the Second World War. On Monday President Vladimir Putin ordered Arctic troops to full combat readiness ahead of exercises on the Kola Peninsula.

“The motorized brigade based in Alakurtti will be tested for the first time,” said the Russian Defence Ministry.

The relocation of troops to Alakurtti was covered widely in the Finnish media when it was announced in January, with analysts suggesting it marked a shift back towards Soviet military planning.

The exercises include 38,000 soldiers, 41 warships and 15 submarines as well as 110 planes and helicopters. The exercises come as Norway undertakes its own military exercises in the northern Finnmark region involving some 5,000 troops–and Finland tests new NH90 helicopters in Lapland.