Feral Jundi

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Russia: Private Military Companies May Appear In Russia Says Rogozin

Filed under: Industry Talk,Russia — Tags: , , , , , — Matt @ 4:08 PM

I have seen other mentions in the news about Russia’s interest in PMSC’s, although they have been using them for quite awhile. For a great primer on one aspect of what a Russian type market would look like, is this episode of a documentary that the gaming company EA put together for Army of Two.

In the documentary they focus on the PMSC industry in Transnistria. This break away republic is flush with weapons and out of work soldiers, and this country’s industry has been involved with providing arms and services all over the world. The country is in a grey area of status, and multiple clients have been able to take advantage of this situation.

For Russia, it sounds like they are willing to experiment and copy the west’s use of PMSC’s. Although I doubt they would be totally private, but you never know… –Matt

 

Private Military Companies May Appear in Russia – Rogozin
19/09/2012
By Dan Peleschuk
The Russian government’s Military Industrial Commission may consider creating private military companies in Russia, Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said Wednesday.
Russia’s significant economic interests abroad often operate in “difficult” conditions, and such companies would facilitate their work, said Rogozin, who oversees Russia’s military-industrial complex.
“We are thinking about whether our money should go toward financing foreign private security [and] military companies, or whether we should consider the feasibility of such companies in Russia itself,” he said.
President Vladimir Putin also declared his support in April for the creation of such companies, currently employed by a slew of Western governments, to provide security for Russian facilities abroad as well as training foreign military units.
Some Russian military analysts, however, are skeptical about Rogozin’s idea. They think the plan could be just one of the charismatic politician’s off-the-cuff statements, such as his claim earlier this month that Russia should plan to build a lunar base to reinvigorate its flagging space program.
Military analyst Alexander Golts says private U.S. security companies, for example, are useful because they allow the U.S. government to dodge the hefty insurance payments in the case of a military-related death – a practice rendered largely pointless in Russia.

(more…)

Thursday, April 12, 2012

Quotes: Putin Backs ‘Private’ Defense Company Idea

Filed under: Quotes,Russia — Tags: , , , , , , — Matt @ 11:14 AM

This just popped up on the radar and I thought I would share. Russia already has a defense industry that provides all sorts of equipment and weapons world wide. But you don’t hear too much about Russian PSC’s or PMC’s aside from body guard work in Moscow. But that could change according to this quote below.

With that said, could we see a day where a Russian PMC (with the blessing and quite wink of the state) is contracted to fight and win a war in some region of the world? A victory that would be mutually beneficial for both Russia, and that client?  And like Putin said, it would be  “an instrument in the pursuit of national interests without the direct participation of the state.”

Even for this Syria deal, Russia sent military advisers and they are getting some heat for that on the world stage.  Perhaps they are thinking now that maybe a private force would have been a better choice politically?  Or for legal reasons, they can wash their hands of any involvement, just because the state does not have any ‘direct participation’. I also imagine that Russia has been watching how the west uses private industry in it’s current wars, and taking notes.  Interesting…. –Matt

Edit: 04/18/2012- David Isenberg posted an excellent article about this deal. Especially the legal mechanisms that would support or hinder Russia’s move towards more foreign usage of PMSC’s. Check it out here.

 

Putin Backs Private Defense Company Idea
11/04/2012
Russian Prime Minister and president-elect Vladimir Putin on Wednesday supported the idea of private defense companies that would provide protection services and military training programs abroad without the participation of the Russian state.
The idea was proposed by A Just Russia deputy Alexei Mitrofanov during Putin’s report to the lower house of parliament, the State Duma.
Putin said that was “an instrument in the pursuit of national interests without the direct participation of the state.”
“I believe that it should be considered, thought over,” he said.
Story here.

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Cool Stuff: Russian Working Dogs Equipped With Cellphones And Cameras

Filed under: Cool Stuff,Russia,Technology — Tags: , , , , , , — Matt @ 12:36 PM

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Logistics: US And NATO Making Deals With Russia, A New Rail Line, And Getting Closer To Dropping Pakistan Routes

Filed under: Afghanistan,Logistics,Pakistan,Russia — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , — Matt @ 3:32 PM

     At the moment, about half those supplies come through Pakistan. The Pakistanis only closed, for about a day, one of the two main routes. About 30 percent of the supplies come in via Central Asia railroads, and another comes from the Black Sea, via rail to the Afghan border. The remaining 20 percent comes in by air. But some of that may be shifted to the Central Asian route, which is much safer (from bandits, bad roads and the Taliban) than the Pakistan routes.

     The U.S. and NATO supplies coming in via railroad from Western Europe, go through Ukraine, Belarus, Russia, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, to Afghanistan. This approach costs $400 a ton to get supplies into Afghanistan, versus three times that to truck it in from Pakistani ports, or $14,000 a ton to fly stuff in. This Central Asian route has been under negotiation since 2003, but Russia kept agreeing to it, and then withdrawing cooperation. What has finally compelled Russia to cooperate in the last year is the growing problems they are having with heroin and opium coming out of Afghanistan into, and through, Russia.-From Strategy Page

    Boy, this latest deal with Pakistan shutting down the border after the cross border accident is any indicator as to how unstable the logistics route is, then news like this should be good for the US and NATO. Although any deals they make with Russia will have to piss off Georgia, whom has contributed forces to the war effort. It is also risky to now make Russia a partner with all of this, because they could play games with the rail system. I guess they would be the best route to go with out of the two bad options available.

    The other point is that Russia is very smart when it comes to leverage and negotiations. The more we have issues on the Pakistan border with crucial logistics, the more the coalition is up against the wall to use a different route–and they don’t have many options. Especially when cost is increasingly becoming an issue. So at this point, Russia is going to negotiate all types of sweet deals in regards to NATO and how it impacts Russia. I just hope that whatever deals we strike up, that the US and NATO don’t get screwed in the long run. Russia knows it has the cards.

    On the flip side, I just posted a deal on Russia thinking about using private security firms for their companies overseas. I could see them utilizing these types of paramilitary forces for work in Afghanistan, if in fact the US and NATO could convince them to participate. Russian troops in Afghanistan would be too much to ask I think. You never know though and I never cease to be amazed with this stuff.

     I also mention private industry as a better option because of all of the Mi-17s that Afghanistan is buying up. Russia would be a good choice for instructors and maintenance types in these contracts to ensure that Afghanistan gets a good value. Plus, the Russians wrote the book on using the Mi-17 in Afghanistan during their war there and these Mi-17s are familiar to the Afghans. Most of all, there is the maintenance of these aircraft post war.  Poor countries with little in the means of parts or repair capability, will really appreciate the durability, cost and simplicity of this aircraft when everyone is gone and packed up.

     Afghanistan will also appreciate all of these railroads coming into their country, because that will make it significantly cheaper for investors to do business there.  The US and NATO will enjoy a cost savings as well, just as long as Russia is happy, and the Taliban can be put in check in the north. We will see how it goes. –Matt

Afghanistan’s First New Railroad On Track

Screw Pakistan

Russia, NATO Plan Joint Afghan War Initiative

Afghanistan’s First New Railroad On Track

October 14, 2010

by Charles Recknagel

From the northern Afghan city of Mazar-e Sharif to the Uzbek border, the land runs flat with barely a hillock to block the way.

It is perfect terrain for building a railway. So, since Afghanistan inaugurated construction of its northern rail line in May, progress has been fast.

Now, the Uzbek company contracted to lay the track has completed almost all of the 75-kilometer line. According to the schedule, the construction should be finished by the end of this year.

If so, Afghanistan will get its first railroad in more than 100 years. That is when a former monarch, Amir Abdurrahman, banned rail lines as potential invasion routes.

Officials say the railroad will speed up freight deliveries across the Uzbek border dramatically.

(more…)

Industry Talk: Russia Eyes Security Firms To Defend Assets Abroad

Filed under: Afghanistan,Industry Talk,Russia — Tags: , , , , , , , , — Matt @ 12:45 PM

     Amid the global economic crisis, the security guard industry remains a haven for those Russians not afraid of danger or boredom.

     The Russian private security business has seen a number of cuts and layoffs in the last year. However, the workforce still accounts for up to 750,000 guards, making it one of the biggest in the country.

     Aleksandr Mikhin, a spokesperson for a Moscow-based Alligator Security Company, which has been in business for 16 years, says companies have started reconsidering their contracts with security firms, trying to optimize their spending.

     But security is usually the last thing businesses are ready to sacrifice. And in an economy such as this, increased concern about crime, vandalism and terrorism is forecast to raise the need for security. 

     Adil Mukashev, an independent expert on terrorism issues based in Almaty, Kazakhstan, said the security firms will likely employ ex-military from Russia’s mainly Muslim North Caucasus region, where an Islamist insurgency is raging.

“This will kill two birds with one stone — give men work in a region with high unemployment and drive them away from radical Islam,” Mukashev told Reuters.

    An interesting little side fact is that I get a lot of readers from Russia checking out the blog. With over 750,000 guards in Russia, now I know why! lol But what is really interesting is the idea of exporting this pool of guards to protect Russian assets abroad. This is the territory I like to explore.

     The article only mentioned oil and mineral assets abroad, but there are other areas that would be of Russia’s best interest to take part in. Specifically, if they plan on allowing NATO to use their railways to transport weapons and whatnot. This will make railways a bigger target for terrorists, and increased traffic will increase exposure. Especially in Northern Afghanistan, because the Taliban and company will do all they can to attack that railway or to steal from it. For investors to trust these lines, there must be adequate security for them.

     Private security firms also allow Russia to participate in Afghanistan, and yet not appear to be involved militarily with it’s own troops. So if they want to help NATO and get some sweet deals in return (dealing with Georgia, etc.), as well as not get sucked in militarily into Afghanistan, they could easily assist via private military firms. Trainers for all types of things, like police or military, or even the pilots of all these Mi-17’s that Afghanistan is buying, could all be drawn from private firms.

     Add to that the legions of Afghan war veterans that Russia has who could be called upon for these contracts. That’s if Russian parliament says it’s cool? The money is what will be doing the talking here, as well as the security situation and unemployment realities of that country. All I know is NATO seems to be pretty interested in including Russia into the Afghan game.

    There is also the maritime security industry, and I am sure Russia would be eyeing ways to protect their shipping assets privately as well. These companies could also offer their services elsewhere, if legally allowed to do so by Russia.

     I am also interested in the other quote up top about using this as a means of employing out of work folks and keeping them away from Jihad? Would sending them to Iraq to defend a company like LUKOIL be a good thing or a bad thing for a muslim from the Northern Caucasus? –Matt

Russia eyes security firms to defend assets abroad

Russia to continue supplying Afghan army and police

Hold it right there

Russia eyes security firms to defend assets abroad

October 28, 2010

* Russia wants private security for assets in conflict zones

* Ex-military personnel could be from volatile N. Caucasus

By Amie Ferris-Rotman

Russia is preparing legislation to set up private security firms using ex-soldiers and police to protect its oil, gas and mineral holdings in conflict zones abroad, a lawmaker and ex-KGB officer said in an interview.

Up to 1,000 security personnel would operate along the lines of U.S. and British private security firms, said Gennady Gudkov, a deputy in Russia’s lower house of parliament, known as the Duma.

“It will be expensive but unfortunately it is very necessary,” said Gudkov, an influential member of the pro-Kremlin Fair Russia party and a former KGB officer who sits on parliament’s safety committee.

“As long as Russian firms are operating abroad, this is in the interest of the state,” he told Reuters, referring to Russia’s need to protect strategically important companies.

(more…)

« Newer Posts — Older Posts »

Powered by WordPress