"East 2018". How Germans scare themselves
The Germans, of course, know what kind of callus to put pressure on their man in the street: in the battles of World War II, the grandfathers of today's well-educated burghers took part personally, and their memory (as well as fear) is present in German society at the genetic level. However, in fact, everything is somewhat more modest. The scale is really very large, but the Russian military prefer to compare the current exercises with the “West 81” maneuvers.
Nor does the respected German publication explain the fact that the exercises held on the other side of the largest Eurasian continent are a threat or a challenge to NATO. Or is this another hint that the entire world is the responsibility of the transatlantic military organization? Then the fears are clear. It is not clear who threatens anyone more: Russia, which trains the army on its territory, or NATO, is ready to stick its nose to anywhere in the world.
Recalling the times of the bloc’s confrontation, Handelsblatt shudders about the horror that the entire NATO bloc experienced while watching the unfolding West 1981 exercises. 100 soldiers! 000 tanks! 400 fighters! Testing a large-scale offensive from the Baltic to the Black Sea! And, like a cherry on the cake, some expert assessments are added, according to which the Soviet Army could defeat NATO in just three days. So the connection between these exercises by German journalists was worked out “excellently”, and Sergei Shoigu is probably not happy that he allowed himself such a comparison.
In reality, we really expect very serious teachings, the main phase of which will take place from 11 to 15 September. Prior to this, various events related to the sudden verification of combat readiness, the transfer of troops, the partial mobilization of reservists and so on will take place. In addition, the military personnel of China and Mongolia will take part in the maneuvers, which in itself is a serious step to build confidence in the region.
It should be noted that in the Chinese press are not at all afraid of maneuvers, including directly at the borders of the Middle Kingdom. Moreover, the media point out that the Chinese army had a great opportunity to learn from the Russians a bit of the real combat experience we gained during the conflicts of recent years, especially in the Syrian one. This is considered to be almost the main priority of the Chinese side, apart from, of course, demonstrating China’s growing military and technological power.
The demonstration of Russian-Chinese military cooperation is another nightmare for strategists from Washington and Brussels. Both Russia and China have armed forces that are fully capable of opposing the combined forces of NATO. Together, they gain an advantage in some branches of the military, and a significantly greater economic stability compared to the current one. The transformation of Russian-Chinese cooperation into a full-fledged military-political alliance can completely change the existing political and economic alignments in the world, at once transferring the United States and its allies to the category of the defending side. And although there is no clear evidence of such unification in the near future, it is obvious that large-scale military exercises of the two countries are a signal indicating an increase in their mutual trust and ever closer cooperation.
And from this really to the military block not far. Moreover, external forces are so actively pushing us towards this ...
The units of the armed forces of Mongolia will also take part in the exercises. Let us be frank, they are hardly able to somehow significantly strengthen the Russian or Chinese troops. But here are interesting logistic and resource aspects of cooperation. Mongolia can be very useful to a hypothetical military bloc, not by military force, but by convenient means of communication and various resources. Therefore, it is probably not worth discounting her interest in these teachings.
German journalists also note that during the indicated period the next Eastern Economic Forum will be held in Vladivostok. A meeting between Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping is expected there, which should become an economic complement to strengthening military and political cooperation. It is expected that several agreements will be signed at once, as well as, most likely, a joint presence at some stages of the maneuvers. In particular, one can expect the presence of the leaders of the two countries at the events held as part of the exercises by the ships of the Russian Pacific fleet.
Such a demonstration is needed by Putin and Russia to show that rumors about the country's isolation are greatly exaggerated. And it is about economic isolation, the consequences of which are so praised in the West. China, despite all the difficulties of its own position, with all the caution with which it pursues its foreign policy, still remains one of Russia's largest economic partners, is in no hurry to participate in the sanctions race, and this almost devalues the US attempts to “strangle” Russia with bans for export or strikes on its financial system.
Without a doubt, the publication of the German edition can be considered as the private opinion of only one editorial team. But let's be frank - it shows a fairly high level of anti-Russian propaganda, and the wide support that American anti-Russian circles can find, in particular, in Germany.
We are often trying to give the Germans for the victims of American expansion, who ostensibly in their mass sympathize with Russia, but can do nothing with American hegemony. But it is worth remembering the relatively recent doping scandal, initiated and promoted by German journalist Hajo Zeppelt, or the German press center during the World Cup, located not in Russia, but in Germany, and you understand that the broad masses of German inhabitants, apparently, do not care to the truth. They are not just deceived, they are “deceived happy”, and any kind of justice interests them no more than interestingly submitted fried facts or the next horror stories about these “terrible Russians”.
Therefore, if someone writes that a million Russian soldiers stuffed with meldonium, is preparing to attack NATO and rape a billion German women, there will be millions of those who easily believe it.
Therefore, dear fellow citizens, there are more teachings, big and not so much. And so what about this write in the German media, we must be completely indifferent.
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