‘Incompetency’ in Putin’s forces as Russia makes ‘guarantee’ of World War Three

Russian president Vladimir Putin has moved 11 nuclear bombers to the border of Norway and Finland amid warnings that World War III is “guaranteed” if Ukraine joins NATO.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has moved eleven bombers capable of carrying nuclear weapons just a few kilometres from the country’s border with NATO member Norway, and Finland.

The American satellite operator Planet Labs detected “an increased presence” of Russian Tu-160s and Tu-95 strategic bombers less than 32km from the Norwegian border.

A satellite image taken on October 7 shows seven Tu-160 bombers and four Tu-95 aircraft at the Russian air base Olenya on the Kolskyi Peninsula, according to Faktisk, a Norwegian fact-checking website.

Two days later, another image showed one of the Tu-160 bombers ready to take off on the runway.

Tu-160s, the largest and heaviest Mach 2 warplanes ever made, are capable of flying 12,070 kilometres non-stop without refuelling. They can carry up to 12 short-range nuclear missiles.

The planes have the capacity to attack targets in the US and all of Europe with nuclear bombs. The planes are usually stationed at Engels Air Base, 720kms southeast of Moscow, Faktisk reports.

Norway is on high alert following several reports of mysterious drone sightings close to offshore oil and gas drilling platforms run by major energy producer Norway.

Last month’s Nord Stream gas pipeline blasts in the Baltic Sea are widely assumed to be the result of sabotage.

The satellite image showing Russian planes capable of carrying nuclear weapons. Picture: Planet Labs

Norway, along with several other Western countries, has forbidden Russians and Russian entities from overflying its territory following the February invasion of Ukraine.

Breaking that ban is punishable by a three-year prison term.

With Russia’s invasion of Ukraine having led to a huge fall-off of Moscow’s energy deliveries, Norway has overtaken Russia as the main supplier of natural gas to Western Europe.

Following the Nord Stream explosions and drone sightings, Norway increased security around its energy installations.

Police urged the public to pass on any information as they sought further clues as to who was responsible.

MOVE ‘GUARANTEED’ TO START WWIII

Russia’s Security Council has warned that Ukraine joining NATO would be the guaranteed trigger for a full-scale world war.

It comes after Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy launched a surprise bid for an accelerated membership to the military alliance.

“Kyiv is well aware that such a step would mean a guaranteed escalation to a World War Three,” said Alexander Venediktov, the deputy secretary of Russia’s Security Council.

“Apparently, that’s what they are counting on – to create informational noise and draw attention to themselves once again.”

Speaking in an interview with Russia’s TASS news agency, added that the United States and its western allies were already a “direct party to the conflict”.

Russian President Vladimir Putin chairs a Security Council meeting via a video link in Moscow. Picture: AFP

Launching his bid to join NATO after Russia held referendums in four annexed regions, Zelenskyy said Ukraine was already a “de facto” part of the alliance formed as a hedge against another world war.

“Ukraine is applying to make it de jure … under a procedure consistent with our significance for the protection of our entire community, under an accelerated procedure,” Zelenskyy said.

It is up to the 30 member states whether to admit Ukraine to the alliance.

EXPLOSION SHOWS SOLDIERS’ ‘INCOMPETENCE’

The competency of Russian soldiers has again been criticised following footage showing a Russian armoured vehicle moving towards clearly visible antitank mines before exploding.

The footage shows a MT-LB vehicle approaching the mines on a Ukrainian road and without hesitation continuing over them as they violent erupt.

Retired soldier Mark Hertling said the incident shows Russian soldiers are not well-trained.

“Anti-armour mines are usually buried. Armoured vehicle drivers aren’t supposed to see them,” Mr Hertling said.

“If you “see” them, you should ”move” or ”avoid” them. Trained soldiers shouldn’t drive over them.

“It reinforces the point, Russian soldiers aren’t well-trained.”

The soldier can be seen sitting on the scorched road following the eruption, before walking away from the “embarrassing episode”.

The armoured vehicle explosion is yet another incident adding to the Russian forces’ humiliation in Ukraine.

PUTIN HUMILIATED IN 18 MINUTES

Vladimir Putin suffered another blow after Ukrainian forces shot down four attack helicopters in just 18 minutes, Ukraine’s Ministry of Defence has claimed.

“From 08.40 to 08.58 on October 12, anti-aircraft missile units of the air force destroyed at least four enemy attack helicopters (probably Ka-52s), which were providing fire support to the ground occupation forces in the southern direction,” the air force said on its Telegram channel.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has suffered fresh humiliation. Picture: Pavel Bednyakov / SPUTNIK / AFP

The helicopters were shot down by anti-aircraft missiles in southern Ukraine, although the Ukrainian military would not specify a location, the post added.

One of the helicopter attacks temporarily knocked Europe’s biggest nuclear plant — the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant — off Ukraine’s electrical grid.

Ukraine’s Ministry of Defence tweeted: “Productive morning, Ukrainian-style. Today, in just 18 minutes, service members of [Ukraine’s army] shot down four Russian helicopters that were spoiling beautiful autumn skies in the south of Ukraine.

“No place for Alligators here. The local climate is hostile towards them.”

The Ka-52 – nicknamed “Alligator” – is a two-seat, all-weather attack helicopter, which was first introduced in Russia in the late 1990s.

NUCLEAR SUBMARINE PARADED IN RUSSIAN STREETS

A 3000-tonne nuclear submarine dubbed the ‘Whale’ has made a grand appearance in Russia.

The 107-metre long vessel – the Soviet Union’s first nuclear submarine – was paraded through the street as it made its way to the city of Kronstadt, near St Petersburg.

The K-3 Leninsky Komsomol is set to become a museum, with the radioactive parts of the reactors removed allowing visitors to inspect the enormous vessel up close.

The submarine was built in 1957 and served the Soviet Union for 30 years before it was moved to the Nerpa shipyard in 2005.

The Leninsky Komsomol remains a powerful symbol of Russia’s capabilities in underwater warfare.

The 3000-tonne nuclear submarine on the streets of Russia.

It comes as Russia lambasted Western leaders for using “nuclear rhetoric” and declared it will not engage in top level negotiations with the US.

Russia deplores “every day that Western heads of state — the US as well as European — practice nuclear rhetoric every day,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday.

“We consider this a pernicious and provocative practice.

“Russia does not want to take part in these exercises and does not take part in them.”

His comments came a week after Joe Biden warned of a possible “nuclear Armageddon”, saying threats emanating from Russia could result in catastrophic “mistakes” and “miscalculation”. Former Australian treasurer and ambassador to the US Joe Hockey later backed the US president’s concerns regarding tactical nuclear weapons.

Mr Hockey said he believed the likelihood Russian president Vladimir Putin would use nuclear weapons was around one third.

“There is now a 30 per cent chance Vladimir Putin will deploy limited nuclear weapons in an attempt to consolidate the Russian position in Ukraine,” Mr Hockey said to clients of his private advisory firm on Tuesday, according to The Australian.

“There is no bigger risk to world peace and the global economy than what is unfolding in Ukraine at the moment. We are on the precipice of a significant moment in modern history”.

Joe Hockey at the event at Parliament House in Canberra. Picture: Gary Ramage

Mr Putin’s age and rumoured declining health both contributed to the likelihood of the use of nuclear weapons, according to Mr Hockey.

“His health is not what it was … you don’t need to be a genius to work out that he is capable and willing to use limited nuclear weapons if (the) Ukrainian war continues on its current path,” Mr Hockey said.

However, Mr Hockey predicted that due to corruption in the Russian military there was a chance 80 per cent of the country’s high-end technology was ineffective.

Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a meeting with United Arab Emirates President in Saint Petersburg. Picture: Pavel Bednyakov / SPUTNIK / AFP

A Ukrainian soldier stands as a 2S1 Gvozdika self-propelled howitzer fires a shell on the front line in Donetsk region on October 10, 2022. Picture: Anatolii Stepanov/ AFP.

Mr Hockey’s comments came as Russia declared that it expects more “confrontation” with the West, ahead of an emergency G7 meeting to discuss the latest Russian strikes on Ukraine.

“The mood ahead of the summit is well understood, it is easily predictable. The confrontation will continue,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, adding that Russia will “achieve its set goals” in Ukraine.

CCTV images show smoke rising from Kyiv skyline after several Russian strikes hit the Ukrainian capital, with police reporting a number of fatalities. Picture: AFP

Mr Peskov also claimed that the US is “de facto” involved in the Ukraine conflict, a day after Mr Biden pledged to continue security assistance.

During a regular telephone call with journalists, Mr Peskov said the US had provided Ukraine with “advanced air defence systems” and its involvement in the conflict can be “seen with the naked eye”.

“The United States is already de facto mired in this conflict,” he said.

“We hear statements from the current US administration about their plans to continue delivering weapons, and to further drag out this conflict, making it as painful as possible for the Ukrainian side.”

A rescuer helps an injured woman after several strikes hit the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv, amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Picture: State Emergency Service of Ukraine / AFP

His comments came after Ukraine reportedly intercepted 18 cruise missiles on Tuesday morning, in two waves of attacks.

The Air Force Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said it “shot down” four missiles around 9am local time, and a further 14 between 9.30am and 1pm local time.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is appealing to Ukraine’s allies for more air defence equipment.

“Air defence is currently the number 1 priority in our defence co-operation,” he said on Twitter late Monday after a call with US President Joe Biden.

Mr Zelenskyy met with Ukraine’s Defence Minister, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces and other government and military officials on Tuesday.

“Those present … emphasised the urgent need to provide the (Ukrainian) army with modern air defence and missile defence systems,” his office said.

NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg on Tuesday said Russia was striking Ukraine’s infrastructure to make up for battlefield losses by its troops and vowed allies would “step up and sustain” support for Kyiv.

“I think what we saw yesterday is actually a sign of weakness, because the reality is that they are not able to make progress on the battlefield. Russia is actually losing on the battlefield,” Mr Stoltenberg told reporters.

– with AFP