Strengthen the “Eastern flank of NATO” began with the transfer of the Third armored brigade combat team of the 4th infantry division of the United States, the technique of which the German port of Bremerhaven has already moved to the territory of Poland.
Three and a half thousand servicemen, more than 400 pieces of caterpillar equipment, including Abrams tanks 87, the power is certainly impressive. But, by and large, partly useless, and certainly not threatening the Russian Kaliningrad region, which, in fact, aimed this armored “fist”.
Poland, which was honored to accept the American tanks on its territory, already seems to have moved from the euphoria of the solemn meeting tanks with the words US Army on Board and attended to other problems.
First, it turned out that the heavy Abrams tanks do not stand up to the Polish bridges or accommodate them in the dimensions of railway tunnels. Accordingly, to talk about their mobility can not be, and very impressive American group and will stick in the West of Poland, in the small town of Zagan. Second, the financial burden of the costs of pronography, which the States themselves will cost in excess of $ 3.4 billion, falls and Warsaw, for which such “protection against Russian aggression” is highly significant for the budget.
Well, and thirdly, the presence in the Kaliningrad region of the three divisions and forces of the Baltic fleet is able to keep the first onslaught of the enemy and to await the approach of tank armies, which the roller will pass through the territory of Latvia and Lithuania. So there it is unclear whether or not “tease the geese” and to impose a similar scenario in Europe.
In addition to the Polish American brigade will be accommodated in Romania, Bulgaria and the Baltic States. To comply with the fundamental interpretation of the Covenant, the Russia-NATO from 1997, according to which the Alliance should refrain from permanent deployment in Eastern Europe of substantial combat forces, the brigade will be broken into small units, the personnel of which will change on a rotating basis every nine months.
Accordingly, even with the support of the national armies of these countries serious military threat, this “fist” for Russia will not submit. Rather, it is the element of “allied support,” guaranteeing only the safety factor. However, it is unclear from whom – Russia certainly attack the same Poland makes no sense, and necessary. But watch for the NATO movements in Europe, of course, is.
“Every military analysis must begin with cards of TVD (theater of war), considers a military historian, expert armored strategies Alexander Zimovsky. – So we have a situation: the poles and the Americans are forced to work off the plan of a land war with Russia in the geographical conditions of Poland. In the NATO do not hide, and we also do not need to be shy. To be ashamed of during the war is the last thing.
The forces and means of arrived in Poland American combat troops of the first echelon, described in detail by military experts until every inch of the dimensions, width of bridges, depth of fords, and literally every kilogram tank M-1 Abrams in slaughter weight. Clearly, the American commanders discouraged by the fact that “Abrams” did not fit in the Polish military infrastructure. It’s funny, but in war, such problems can be resolved, though, and lead to loss of time. Time is a key factor in the war. And here again we look at the map.
The deployment of American tank and auxiliary parts are marked and well studied. This is the former Kaiser still polygon Noyhammer in Silesia, near the town of żagań on the German-Polish border. From the poles he called Poligon Dobre nad Kwisą (Świętoszów), occupies 37,000 acres, and in his time the Germans held it maneuvers with simultaneous participation of up to 70 000 soldiers.
But above all, this polygon is known to all Russian tank commanders, from the commander of the regiment and later, as a mother. That’s like saying fans of team sports, the “home stadium” of the Soviet 20th tank division Zvenigorod. In 1968, during operation “Danube” division, among others, made a dash from his area of deployment in Poland to the town of české budějovice (Czechoslovakia), breaking 370 kilometers in 16 hours. And no bridges, tunnels, rivers and other terrain features didn’t stop her. What it is still little for Russian tanks, this is Eastern Europe, don’t you think?”.
“Now from the same area of the American tanks should be about twice the distance in the opposite direction to Polish Olsztyn – continues Alexander Zimouski to (hypothetically, hypothetically) to go to the line of possible contact with the Russian tanks of units deployed in the Kaliningrad region. But we have already established that even by the standards of 1968, Panzer division, speaking from the district of Kaliningrad, in 16 hours will be under the Windows of the Belvedere Palace in Warsaw.
Of course, it’s nothing more than a script of some operational war game in which staff officers of NATO in Brussels cut almost round the clock. But it has a number of complicating elements, which indicate the factor of connectivity, i.e. the possibility to transfer troops on internal lines. And then there’s something else.
It’s no secret that the entire military infrastructure of Poland was created to ensure the actions of the Soviet Northern group of forces, in other words, to make way for the movement of masses of tanks from the East to the West. So, in fact, the Americans are located in Poland with inverted front. But these military nuances few people care about. Suits the Polish government cheering, they managed to drag myself to the American troops.
At the same time, as we were shown to military experts, the ability to move (maneuver) of American troops in Poland is severely limited. That is, the loss of time in combat to have guaranteed, with all subsequent effects. But all these rational arguments are drowned in the rattle of the welcome speeches. I just wanted to convey to the Polish public that those who now utters rousing bellicose speeches leave the fate of light tanks to the share of others.”
In this situation, Russia should take? Direct confrontation, of course, undesirable, but to put up with “Obama’s legacy”, which was initiated on its last legs the buildup of forces in Europe, too.
“We need to appeal to the agreement between Russia and NATO about non-placement of large armed formations in Eastern Europe, – the Director of the Center for analysis of strategies and technologies Ruslan Pukhov. – The United States must comply with the established power balance in the region and to withdraw its tank armored group to their original positions, portraying this campaign as a military exercise on the territory of allied countries.
Otherwise, Russia will be forced to take adequate measures, which would include not only the buildup of forces and means at its borders, but also to take preventive measures. And then area for the deployment of Russian troops can be and some neighboring countries, including on the Western borders. As a springboard in an emergency situation can be and Belarus, and the same friendly Serbia, where easily sweep all the European space. But this is an extreme scenario, which would mean a full-scale war in which no one is interested and Europe in the first place.”
Author: Viktor Sokirko
Video: Russian Spring / YouTube