Many countries have become concerned with Russia’s recent military growth in Syria, including Israel.
On Monday, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with Russian President Putin in Moscow to discuss the global terrorist threat and a plan on peace for the Middle East. The meeting ended with Israel and Russia agreeing to coordinate their military actions to avoid trading fire, according to Netanyahu.
Netanyahu did not elaborate to the media on the agreement, but did say he wanted to achieve the goal of “prevent(ing) misunderstandings between IDF (Israel Defense Force) units and Russian forces” in Syria, where Putin’s ally, Assad, is fighting a civil war with Islamist-dominated insurgents.
Putin stated that Russia would continue to provide military support to Assad in Syria’s fight against the spread of the Islamic State influence. He added that the assistance that has been provided so far is within international law.
Prime Minister Netanyahu informed reporters that he would be sharing the details of his visit with the United States. Currently the U.S. has stopped flying missions against the Islamic State insurgents in Syria until U.S. and Russian leaders meet.
A former adviser to Netanyahu reported that Israel was concerned that Russia’s help to Assad could strengthen Russia’s relationship with Iran, Assad’s other financial backer and Hezbollah patron. This could possibly create an alliance between Russia, Iran, and Hezbollah, resulting in Russia’s technology being given to the terrorist organization.
Netanyahu warned Putin that keeping weapons from Hezbollah was his top priority, and informed Putin of Israel’s policy to strike at guerrillas suspected to attack from the northern frontier of Syria.
Russian citizens are protesting a government decision to burn 350 tons of food rather than distributing it to the nation’s poor.
Government troops intercepted a contraband food shipment including Irish pork and cheeses, Italian kiwis and more. Apparently some of the food was being shipped to the BMW car racing team that is participating in an event in Moscow.
“The department decided to impound goods at the checkpoint due to gross violation of sanitary rules,” Tass quoted food watchdog Rosselkhoznadzor as saying.
A spokesman for the Kremlin said that the policy of destroying food is likely to continue.
“I agree that it does not look pleasant,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov conceded in an interview to RBC News.
The Moscow Times was critical of the government’s action, stating “starvation and deprivation weren’t abstract concepts to Soviet people — even privileged Soviet people — just a couple of generations ago.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin banned Western food imports in 2014 in retaliation for sanctions placed against Russia due to their invasion of Ukraine.
NATO is refocusing their efforts toward Russia in light of Vladimir Putin’s invasion and takeover of Crimea last year.
NATO wants to prevent Russia from doing the same thing to other former Soviet Republics.
“We have reasons to believe that Russia views the Baltic region as one of NATO’s most vulnerable areas, a place where NATO’s resolve can be tested,” said Sven Mikser, Estonia’s defense minister.
“If the Russians sense a window of opportunity, they will use it to their advantage,” said Estonia’s chief of defense, Lt. Gen. Riho Terras. “We must make sure there’s no room for miscalculation.”
U.S. Defense Secretary Ashton Carter has been traveling to the capitals of NATO member nations to talk about the refocus on Russia. He has pledged the U.S. to give weapons and loan commandos to a new NATO rapid reaction force.
The U.S. will also place heavy weapons and tanks in the Baltics and Eastern Europe for the first time.
NATO is facing issues with member nations such as Germany, Italy and France not being in favor of going to war with Russia should an invasion of Estonia or other former Soviet republics take place.
Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that his nation would be adding more than 40 new intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM) to their nuclear arsenal.
“More than 40 new intercontinental ballistic missiles able to overcome even the most technically advanced anti-missile defense systems will be added to the make-up of the nuclear arsenal this year,” Putin, flanked by army officers, said in a speech at an arms fair west of Moscow.
The announcement comes a day after NATO members along the Russian border agreed to place U.S. tanks and heavy weapons in their countries. The move is being called “the most aggressive act since the cold war” by analysts.
The actions are seen in response to the current tension in Ukraine and Russia’s unwillingness to back down from their efforts to destabilize that nation.
ICBMs have a maximum range of 3,400 miles. Putin did not state what kind of ICBMs would be placed into the Russia arsenal.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said Russia was “saber rattling” and attempting to further degrade an already dangerous situation.