Six and a half
Russia and its allies created a mysterious military structureYevgeny RodionovSix countries included in the Organization of collective security Treaty (CSTO), Russia, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Armenia, and joined them Uzbekistan on February 4, signed the agreement on creation of Collective rapid reaction forces", CRRF.It is expected that the backbone of the CRRF will be 98th guards airborne division and the 31st airborne brigade of the airborne troops of the Russian Federation. In addition, the possible participation of Kazakhstan by one air assault brigade. Other countries are spending on a battalion, and Uzbekistan generally bought myself some "special conditions" to connect to the CRRF unspecified number of its military occasionally for combating terrorism and the drug threat.In General, the strength of the CRRF is planned to be used to "repel military aggression, conduct special operations to combat international terrorism, transnational organized crime, drug trafficking, and also for liquidation of consequences of emergency situations".Where will be based divisions emerging military Alliance, is unclear. According to reports from various sources, two variants - their permanent presence in Russia and permanent placement in their home countries with the collection during the conduct of joint operations. It is emphasized that the members of the CRRF units were not withdrawn from the composition of the national armies of the participating countries, and the headquarters of this structure will be to implement the "coordination function".The President of Russia Dmitry Medvedev, commenting on the signing of the Treaty, stated that the combat potential of units of the collective rapid reaction force will be "no worse than that of the North Atlantic Alliance". He promised that the countries participating in the agreement will complement the CRRF with the latest technology, and these forces will be "effective and sufficient".No further information about the emerging structure yet. What are the units of the state or organization CRRF sees among his potential opponents, we can only guess. For example, in Russian, and the foreign press is already comparing the collective security Treaty organization and the Warsaw Treaty, opposed, as you know, NATO.Azerbaijan, located in the difficult relations with Armenia, also there is reason for some concern. In Azerbaijan many openly support the idea of solving the Karabakh problem by military means. But if Armenia will get allies in the Russian division and two brigades of Marines, as well as formidable Tajik and Kyrgyz battalions, the balance of power will change not in favor of Baku.In the framework of the CSTO summit in Moscow the President of Kirghizia Kurmanbek Bakiev has declared that his country will refuse to host on its territory a US airbase. Almost immediately after this it was announced that Bishkek will get from Moscow a soft loan of $ 300 million. Many observers think this is a price to pay Russia for the expulsion of Americans from Kyrgyzstan. However, the Russian foreign Ministry called the decision Bakiyev "absolutely independent and predictable".Tremble seems to be worth to terrorists of all stripes in Central Asia. Manifestations of Islamic extremism in the region in recent years faced Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, so their accession to the CRRF is still justified.In addition, the rapid response unit will fit and to suppress mass demonstrations, such as those that occurred in the Uzbek city of Andizhan in may 2005. According to official data, a rebellion has risen Islamists-terrorists, and the struggle with them is one of the objectives announced by the CRRF a priority. The allegations that the statements were spontaneously-folk, then can be called a provocation of enemies.This feature - "the suppression of popular uprisings" - may be quite popular amid the global economic crisis. And the already poor people of the Central Asian countries may be on the verge of physical survival and and look to take up their pitchforks, demanding the change permanent leaders. Kyrgyzstan, where in 2005 as a result of a popular revolt changed the power, example.Belarusian "but father," may be interested in creating a rapid reaction force for the same reasons. External aggression him to wait, of course, nowhere but here meek Belarusians in 2006 were able to be pretty scare him, leaving the square after the presidential election. Then Alexander Lukashenko has disappeared, which even had two weeks to carry his inauguration.Any person, who visited Minsk, confirms that the police there's a huge amount, but because the President is nothing to be afraid of. But additional security (especially after the horror) yet no one interfered.An added bonus to allies of Russia in the CRRF can become loans and other assistance that Moscow will have to provide in return for support for their initiatives.The Minister of Finance of Russia Alexey Kudrin on the day of signing the agreement recognized that Russia will help Belarus, Kyrgyzstan and Armenia. However, he said that Belarus will be allocated two billion dollars, and Kyrgyzstan - more than two billion dollars. "Currently, the us and other countries", - he stated the Minister.In addition, it is expected that Russia will contribute in the "anti-crisis Fund of EurAsEC. $ 7.5 billion. Considering that the borders of the EurAsEC almost coincide with the borders of the CSTO, it appears that the creation of the CRRF Moscow will pay more than ten billion is not superfluous in the midst of crisis dollars.Purely military benefits from Russia CRRF almost not get it. With all due respect to the other armies of the CSTO member States to help Moscow in the global conflict (for example, against China) they will not be able, and in a local (as in Georgia) Russia and she'll be fine. Geostrategic bonuses are lost in the fog of the distant future.Material benefits that will be given to Russia as a result of the creation of the CRRF, and if there are, it is very cleverly disguised. Any additional obligations in the economic sphere CSTO States to Russia are not. Cute the Kremlin pipelines and aluminum plants were left on the outside of military agreement.Moreover, on the day of signing the agreement on creation KSOR, the Ministry of defence of Belarus announced the intention to procure not only Russian weapons and equipment from other countries - sophisticated mockery of "ally".In this regard, at first glance it may seem that Russia, barely freed from the "fraternal" gas discounts for Ukraine, puts on his neck the six hungry and not too appreciative friends who would be happy to call the Kremlin's "strategic partner" and even "brother", holding on to the Fig in the pocket. But ten billion could do many useful things: to provide loans to the allies, demanding that they have exceptional conditions for Russian companies to buy on the crisis the cheap all their industry and field. In the end, is to support our citizens, banks and companies.However, it is not so simple. In the sense that, not posadnitsa now, then Russia will derive considerable benefit from his, little is currently understood, generosity. That, of course, not in military power of the collective rapid reaction force, and in the creation along the borders of the Russian geopolitical space, where the interests of Moscow will be protected by long-term deals, many loans, military agreements, and other agreements. But the skeptics were silenced, only if all this "lots of plans" will be effectively implemented. The experience of recent decades suggests that the establishment of cooperation in the post-Soviet space - the work of hell and among the summits, of which there was great variety, and friendly handshakes in front of the TV cameras here, of course, can not do.Otherwise benefit from the CRRF will be available only if you send Tajik battalion on the elite building on the ruble, and Belarusians, for example, to harvest potatoes.