Intelligence report: On Russia’s position to NATO anti-missile defence and possible incidents during Zapad 2013

[link to stratrisks.com]

[link to www.lithuaniatribune.com]

Russia still wants to avoid elements of NATO’s anti-aircraft and anti-missile defence in close vicinity and proposes to the Alliance to divide Europe into responsibility areas, the Second Investigation Department under Lithuania’s Ministry of National Defence, in charge of military intelligence, said in a 2012 report on threats to national security on Friday.

The Investigation Department also Intentional and non-intentional land and air border violations and various other incidents are possible during Russian-Belarusian military exercises ‘Zapad 2013’ scheduled for the autumn.

NATO representatives have said on numerous occasions they would not agree with Russia’s proposal to divide Europe into sectors and would not sign with Russia any agreements limiting the Alliance’s use of its weaponry.

The Second Investigation Department also noted modern radars Voronezh and surface-to-air missile systems S-400 are deployed in the Russian region of Kaliningrad and has voiced plans to deploy ballistic missile systems ‘Iskander’ in the region.

“The fact that Russia is developing military capabilities and conducting military training while prioritising the Western and Southern strategic directions shows that it is following evaluations recorded in the military doctrine practically; i. e., NATO is not only named a source of threat but real planning and preparations to neutralise this threat are taking place,” Lithuania’s military intelligence concludes.