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Russian Military Investigators Arrived in Akhalgori

http://www.ipn.ge/en/index.php?news=6267&hd_line=1
09 March, 2009 02:03:00

Neither representatives of Russian occupational army nor separatists have classified yesterday’s explosion on the territory of Akhalgori region as an act of sabotage or of terror yet.

Russian military investigators and experts, specially arrived from Russia, are on the territory of Akhalgori and are examining the place of incident for the moment being.
The experts and investigators will conclude the final decision tomorrow morning.
According to one of the versions, the defection of (military) vehicle caused explosion.
Besides, in 100 meters from the place of incident, the weapon depot burnt down. Russian regular army has been supplied with ammunition from this depot. All military materials of Russian soldiers have been destroyed.
The exlosion presumably left casualties , though exact infromation on casualties has not been dissiminated yet.

Talks on aircraft carrier intensify

http://www.barentsobserver.com/talks-on-aircraft-carrier-intensify.4564886-58932.html
2009-03-09

Over the month, leader of the Sevmash yard in Severodvinsk, Arkhangelsk Oblast, has been twice in India to negotiate new contract terms for sales of the aircraft carrier “Admiral Gorshkov”.

Sevmash General Director Nikolay Kalistratov today again meets with Indian defence authorities for negotiations over the takeover terms of the “Admiral Gorshkov”, by the Indians called “Vikramaditia”, the Sevmash informs in a press release.

The visit is the second in a month. In mid-February Kalistratov and his delegation confirmed that the Indian side would in the near future transfer 250 million USD, which will help keep up progress with the reconstruction and modernization of the vessel.

At the same time, he also said that the Russian side had named its price for the project, which now was being considered by the Indians.

According to the original contract from 2004, the Indian Navy was to buy the upgraded vessel for 974 million USD. In addition, the contract included the acquisition of fighter aircrafts worth 530 million USD. Last year however the Russian side demanded that the contract terms be reviewed and that the new price would be up to 1,5 million USD higher.

The “Vikramaditia” is built to house a group of MIG-29K fighter planes and helicopters typed Ka-27 and Ka-31, Bclass.ru reports. The vessel was included in the Russian Navy in 1987. It was then named the “Baku”.

Russia signals entry into space arms race

http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=88082§ionid=351020602

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 07:28:00 GMT

Russia is working on a form of technology that would enable it to target satellites in space, says a source familiar with the program.

Russian deputy defense minister, General Valentin Popovkin, said while Russia opposes a space arms race, it would not let steps by other countries toward space militarization go unanswered, Russian news agencies reported.

"We can't sit back and quietly watch others doing that; such work is being conducted in Russia," said Gen. Popovkin.

Popovkin, who previously served as the chief of Russian military Space Forces, claimed that Russian technicians had already developed some "basic, key elements" of such weapons but did not elaborate on details.

His remarks came in response to a question about US and Chinese tests of anti-satellite weapons.

In February 2008, the US struck a dying satellite with missiles launched from a Navy cruiser. Earlier in 2007, a Chinese missile destroyed one of its own aging satellites.

Russia and the United States are the only two nations to have successfully performed anti-satellite weapons tests.

The tests have sparked international criticism with many countries arguing that such tests would lead to space weaponization and an arms race.

Despite widespread condemnation, the US has long resisted a global treaty banning such tests, saying it needs "freedom of action in space".

Adding to the concerns in Moscow was the last month collision of US and Russian satellites.

Former head of Russia's military space intelligence, major general Leonid Shershner has told the daily Moskovski Komsomolez that the US Iridium 33 satellite involved in the collision was part of a US military research project launched in 2007.

The dual-purpose project -- Orbital Express -- mentioned by the former space official aims to create a new technology that supports a broad range of future US national security and commercial space programs.

The project, Shershner said, was expected to allow the US to intercept and manipulate "hostile satellites" and destroy them from an earth-bound command center.

According to the general, the collision that occurred on Feb. 10 could have been easily avoided since the Iridium 33 was equipped with a navigation system able to detect any targets that move toward it, send information to earth and allow the ground center to change its orbit.

Unfortunately, such preventive measures did not occur, Shershner added.

The Russian ex-official insisted that the collision is proof that the incident was manipulated by officials in Washington.

Norway lets Russian ship go free

http://www.barentsobserver.com/norway-lets-russian-ship-go-free.4564972-16180.html
2009-03-09

Norwegian police is letting the Russian cargo vessel “Mekhanik Tyulenev” leave the port of Bodø. Investigators have not found evidence of a suspected collision with a small fishing boat.

After almost a week’s arrest the “Mekhanik Tylenenev” is finally allowed to leave the Norwegian port. Police suspected the vessel of having collided with and sunk the fishing boat “Marina”. The lifting of the fishing boat from the sea bottom does however not reveal signs of a collision with the Russian ship.

-This is a major relief for us, Captain Andrey Kuznetsov says to NRK.no –It has been a heavy and stressful week, he underlines, adding that he believes the vessel has been held back too long.