After a NATO chief issued a chilling WW3 warning prediction, a diplomatic row has broken out with Russia said to be ‘threatening’ Azerbaijan, a nation rich in oil and gas
Russia stands accused of ‘threatening’ another European nation three years since their invasion or Ukraine.
Russian President Vladimir Putin might now have set his sights on Azerbaijan, it has been claimed, after building up its troop levels at a military base in a close ally. The increase at the Gyumri centre in Armenia was initially denied by both the Armenians and the Russians, but the Ukrainian military intelligence has now shared on what they say are the official orders to redeploy the military personnel. Azerbaijan is a country rich in oil and gas, which it supplies to Western countries. It has been an independent state since 1991, when the old Soviet Union collapsed.
It comes after a NATO chief issued a chilling WW3 warning predicting both Russia and China will launch a twin attack. Relations between the country, situated in the South Caucasus at the boundary between Eastern Europe and West Asia, and its former rulers have deteriorated recently after several dozen ethnic Azerbaijanis were arrested in the Russian city of Yekaterinburg in connection with a series of murders that took place 15 years ago.
While in detention, the men were also beaten, and two brothers – the main suspects in the case – subsequently died. Authorities in Baku accused Russian security forces of deliberately killing the men, canceled all cultural events related to Russia, raided the Sputnik news agency, detaining its employees and several Russian IT specialists. Russian nationals in Azerbaijan now face regular document checks.
Ukraine’s military intelligence (HUR) has accused Moscow of attempting to exert greater influence in the South Caucasus and ‘destabilise the global security situation’ by the move.
Armenia and Russia dismissed the accusations but now HUR has released a document that they say prove it, saying it was an “order from the commander of the troops of the Southern Military District of the Russian Armed Forces on the replenishment of the Russian military base in Armenia.
“The telegram lists a list of measures for the urgent ‘replenishment’ of the units of the Russian unit by selecting personnel from among the servicemen of the 8th, 18th, 49th and 58th combined arms armies of the Southern Military District of the Russian Armed Forces.
“Alongside stoking interethnic conflict, Moscow is building up its military presence in the Caucasus. It is likely that the deterioration of relations between Azerbaijan and Russia was prepared in advance.”
The 102nd military base in Guymri is the largest Russian military facility in the South Caucasus. It hosts up to 5,000 personnel. The base includes MiG-29 fighter jets and S-300 air defence systems.
It comes as NATO secretary general Mark Rutte said a simultaneous invasion by Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin could put the world at serious risk of nuclear annihilation. China would plot to annex the island nation of Taiwan while Russia launches an invasion of a NATO member.
Mr Rutte gave the warning as he stressed the need for member states to increase their military budgets and re-arm. He told The New York Times: “Let’s not be naïve about this: If Xi Jinping would attack Taiwan, he would first make sure that he makes a call to his very junior partner in all of this, Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, residing in Moscow, and telling him, ‘Hey, I’m going to do this, and I need you to to keep them busy in Europe by attacking NATO territory.’ That is most likely the way this will progress.”
He explained Beijing and Moscow could only be deterred by a strong NATO. He added: “One is that NATO, collectively, being so strong that the Russians will never do this.
“And second, working together with the Indo-Pacific – something President [Donald] Trump is very much promoting. Because we have this close interconnectedness, working together on defence industry, innovation between NATO and the Indo-Pacific.”