Fortress besieged normality. The meaning of the sudden check of combat readiness of Russian troops
Irina Alksnis
30.08.2016
Army
Russia
media
the global crisis
war
For the third year in a row interested in politics, the Russian public from time to time comes to agitation for the same reason – because of the sudden check of combat readiness in the Russian armed forces, but rather a sudden complex check of readiness.
It looks really every year more and more ambitious and impressive. In the gun be tens of thousands of people, a huge army mechanism begins to spin with great speed and for the audience to produce results, which citizens have the hair on the nape stood on end becomes. For example, current test shocked the imagination of the public involvement of the most important Federal civil structures such as Central Bank, Ministry of Finance and the reserve. Not surprisingly, it stimulates the analysts – both professional and cushion – on the dismal military prognosis.
The first version usually occurs sacramental: “Maybe bahnem?”. But then the citizens get back into the mind and begin to speculate on the reverse: the Russia to the whole world claps with iron, to prevent that violent. And then the main question is figuring out where, in fact, should Bang. Set of options in recent years stabilized in pravesa solitaire: Ukraine, Baltic States, Syria, Turkey, etc., etc.
In this situation, I would like to sing across the choir and to make a conservative assumption that the current test readiness has little to do with the current operational business. It’s about much more profound, systemic and long-term processes. And the magnitude of events only emphasize that all this is not about the here and now, but about designing a great future.
The most interesting issue, directly related to passing the test (and numerous other military exercises in recent years) is the following: what is the future of building in Russia? for what all this rapid movement in a variety of fields? what is the ultimate goal?
I guess the answer is very simple: Russia is building, or rather continue to build and develop a normal country.
Not perfect, hassle-free, etc., as normal. A country where people work, relax, raise families, go to resorts and cottage, solve problems and have fun for the holidays. Country, building bridges, roads and nuclear submarines, where motorists pass pedestrians, and samakovlis clean up after their Pets on walks (on the last point, there is still a lot of work). A country where the primacy of traditional values, and civil peace is the most important value.
In General, absolutely normal, one might even say, boring in their average in one country.
From this point of view, the processes associated with the Russian army, including exercises and check, completely fit into the current trends.
Because it’s OK when the army and the system of civil defense training. This is normal, when reservists maintain in good shape. This is normal, when the armed forces are doing their main job, and do not emerge from the exercise. This is fine when the whole system of state structures is periodically checked for readiness to work in emergency situations.
Abnormal was the previous two-and-a-half decades, when this never happened, and Russian society has forgotten that it’s not normal.
Another thing is that you can’t ignore that the current exercises and drills are conducted openly and even defiantly. That leads many citizens to worry about the meaning and purpose of what is happening.
Of course, there is the role played by the development of modern technology. Some things become difficult, and pointless to hide. People say that snipers during major public holidays located on the wall of the Kremlin in Soviet times. But then they carefully concealed, and now openly shown during the broadcast of the Victory Parade all the Federal channels.
This reflects both the new level of development and prevalence of technologies when each of the first high – quality photo and video equipment some things just lose their meaning), and a radical change of the ideological approach. Public safety subject of some embarrassment our country has become its pride.
But this, of course, only part of the explanation of the current openness of the Russian power structures. Perhaps the main reason – in the normality of Russia and protection of this normality.
The space is normal in the world is decreasing very rapidly. So fast that to ignore the feeling of chaos in the world, fails even the most distant from the news people. Not surprisingly, the Russians increasingly feel that our country, if you alter a well-known demotivator, not in the middle of nowhere, and at Christ’s bosom.
And yet the country feels many threats themselves. No matter what is the current rhetoric of the West and some non-Western countries. Russia has learned the advice of an old Jewish woman who survived the Holocaust: if you promise to kill believe it or not trying to write off all the joke, believe.
So, all these high-profile exercises and readiness test – they will likely not specifically about the Ukraine, or Syria, or something else cur-tactical.
They generally send the world a message: we are prepared for any eventuality. Up to the most severe and unfavorable, until the partisan struggle (if someone does not understand that you create right now, the territorial defence units including about it – about the guerrilla war in terms of occupation).
This open and even demonstrative willingness of Russia to defend itself in any direction and from any threat is also an important part of the defense of the country, because it directly confronts the question of whether we are ready, and you?
