Russia Accuses U.S. Of Poaching | World News |Axisoflogic.com

Russia’s defense minister this week accused the United States of beefing up its military presence near Russian borders and poaching for mineral wealth there, signaling that Moscow could take a tough position in upcoming talks with Barack Obama’s new administration.

Anatoly Serdyukov’s statement — made alongside President Dmitry Medvedev at a meeting of the military’s top brass on Tuesday — reflected deeply entrenched Russian suspicions despite Obama’s desire to improve relations with Moscow.

Medvedev, meanwhile, cited NATO expansion, international terrorism and regional conflicts as reasons why upgrading Russia’s nuclear forces was the top priority in an ambitious military modernization plan that he pledged to pursue despite the worst economic crisis in a decade.

Relations with Russia plunged to a post-Cold War low under the previous U.S. administration, whose plans to build missile defense sites in eastern Europe and bring ex-Soviet republics into NATO angered Moscow.

Medvedev’s first meeting with Obama next month will set the tone for talks over a new arms control treaty and other major disputes — and Russia is signaling that it will be a tough negotiating partner.

“U.S. aspirations have been aimed at getting access to raw materials, energy and other resources” of ex-Soviet nations, Serdyukov told military officers. “Active support was given to the processes aimed at pushing Russia out of the sphere of its traditional interests.”

Moscow has fiercely opposed plans to put Ukraine and Georgia on track to NATO membership. Russian officials also hope the Obama administration will cancel plans to deploy missile defense sites in Poland and the Czech Republic. Moscow has raised the stakes by threatening to deploy missiles next to Poland if the U.S. goes ahead with the missile shield.

Russia is also deeply wary of any U.S. presence in oil- and gas-rich Central Asia, which Moscow considers its historic sphere of influence.

Windfall oil wealth over the last decade allowed the Kremlin to nearly quadruple defense spending, start upgrading aging arsenals and press efforts to revive the nation’s clout and prestige. Still, military modernization has gone slowly and glaring weaknesses, such as shortages of precision “smart” weapons and modern communications gear, were highlighted during Russia’s war with Georgia in August.

The financial crisis has raised more doubts about meeting modernization goals, something Medvedev sought to dispel Tuesday.

“Let me mention the top priorities. The main one is a qualitative increase in the troops' readiness, primarily of strategic nuclear forces. They must guarantee the fulfillment of all tasks of ensuring Russia’s security,” Medvedev said.

He also repeated past pledges, made by his predecessor Vladimir Putin, that Russia’s armed forces would be equipped with modern equipment.

“In the past year, we have transformed a whole range of combat units and formations by providing them with modern equipment, and in 2011 we will begin the large-scale rearmament of the army and navy,” he said.

Military officials say about 25 percent of the 1.5 trillion rubles ($43 billion) budgeted for weapons purchases this year will be spent on upgrading the aging, Soviet-era nuclear force.

Saint Petersburg Times