Russia projecting power, Sweden, Canada, & USA concerned, yet …

Russian SU-24 (Alexander Mishin)

Russia has sent a message to northern Europe and North America:

September 20, 2014

Eight Russian planes, including long-range bombers, were intercepted this week by US and Canadian pilots. Sweden has made its displeasure known to the Russian government after similar incursions.

Washington defense officials said on Friday that Russian planes were intercepted by US and Canadian warplanes on two separate occasions when they entered a US “Air Defense Identification Zone” (ADIZ) this week near Alaska.

In the first of two incidents, the Russian planes – which included two Mig-31 fighter jets, two refueling aircraft and two Russian Bear long-range bombers – were identified and intercepted by F-22 fighter jets according to air monitoring officials. The planes, which were about 55 nautical miles (88.5 nautical kilometers) from the US coast were said to have left “without incident.”

A statement by both the US and Canadian aerospace command NORAD, and US Northern Command NORTHCOM also said that Canadian fighters intercepted two Russian Bear long-range bombers in the Canadian ADIZ on Thursday. Those planes were about 40 nautical miles from the Canadian coast. …

Sweden complained on Friday that Russian fighter planes had violated its airspace this week, summoning the Russian ambassador to the foreign ministry in Stockholm.

The Russian planes were said to have been in Swedish airspace, near the Baltic Sea island of Oland, on Wednesday for about 30 seconds. The combat jets, reported to have been Sukhoi Su-24s were detected initially by radar and left when a Swedish Gripen jet was sent to the area. http://www.dw.de/us-fighter-planes-intercept-russian-combat-jets-off-alaska-sweden-protests-violation/a-17936231

September 20, 2014

Although Russian aircraft have entered the zone previously it was ‘the first time in a long time’ that fighter jets passed through the area, said a US defence official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

To safeguard a country’s air space, air defence identification zones extend beyond territorial air space and are designed as a buffer to give a government more time to respond to potentially hostile aircraft.

But the zones do not fall under international treaties and are not regulated under international law.

The Russian aircraft flights coincided with a visit by Ukraine’s President Petro Poroshenko to the US, where he made an impassioned address on Thursday before a joint session of the congress, denouncing Russia’s military intervention in his country. http://www.skynews.com.au/news/world/europe/2014/09/20/russian-jets-intercepted-by-us-near-alaska.html#sthash.XaJoC8GC.dpuf

September 18, 2014

Retired Air Force Lt. Gen. Thomas McInerney, a former Alaskan Air Command commander with experience in Russian strategic flight incursions, said the increased bomber activity appears related to nuclear activities.

“They are having a very aggressive nuclear readiness exercise now as a show of force,” McInerney said. “Whereas the U.S. has been on a path of nuclear zero which they think is ridiculous.”

McInerney added: “The Russians sense weakness in American leadership and they are trying to intimidate us and show us that our nuclear deterrent forces are vulnerable to Russian nuclear forces.”http://freebeacon.com/national-security/russian-nuclear-bombers-buzz-northern-europe/

September 19, 2014

The Swedish Armed Forces confirmed on Friday afternoon that two Russian SU24 fighter-bombers had been detected flying over the country.

According to the Foreign Ministry, the planes passed through Swedish airspace to the south of Öland last Wednesday at lunchtime. The planes were one kilometre inside Swedish territory for about 30 seconds.

Foreign Minister Carl Bildt described the flights as “the most serious aerial incursion by the Russians during my years as foreign minister.” Bildt has asked the Armed Forces for a full report into the incident. …

“Obviously we view this with concern,” he said. “If this information is true, it is one of the most serious violations we have seen,” he said in a statement before the incursions were confirmed. The planes left Swedish airspace after a Swedish Gripen plane was scrambled to warn them off.

Liberal Party leader Jan Björklund said the violations were “somewhat more serious” than previous Russian flights. “These was more blatant and lasted for a longer time,” Björklund said, adding that there had been a steady increase in Russian activity over a long period. “There’s an ongoing escalation, which is why I have pointed out the need to strengthen our defence,” he said. http://www.thelocal.se/20140919/russian-flights-condemned-by-social-democrats

While Russia is trying to send a signal, yet it is getting people in Europe to conclude that they need to spend more money on defense. This will not turn out well for Europe nor North America (cf. Daniel 11:39-45).

CNN had an interesting take on the Islamic State, Ukraine, Russia, and the USA. It has a Russian commentator reporting who believes that Russia will attain some of its objectives with Ukraine because of the problem with the Islamic State:

(CNN) — Sometimes geography gets in the way of power politics. Just when you thought that Ukraine was miles away from Syria, bang — you find out that they’re actually bordering each other.

Confused? I bet you are. But here’s the deal: the civil war in Ukraine, which most sensible people tend to classify these days as a direct stand-off between Russia and the U.S., is now having a direct impact on the conflict in Syria. …

Russia is supporting President Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria, while America and its allies are backing the anti-government rebels there — some of whom have at some point developed into ISIS and started to get all sorts of crazy ideas.

Since it is Assad’s troops who are actually doing the fighting on the ground against ISIS and since it so happens that this new menace is now the number one target of America, it follows that Ukraine is very close to Syria when it comes to international power-play.

This week, out of the blue, the already-disbanded Ukrainian parliament voted to provide special status for Donetsk and Lugansk — the two rebellious regions in eastern Ukraine — offering them autonomy for three years and allowing them to hold their own elections for their local authorities, in addition to offering an amnesty for people who have not been directly involved in fighting Ukrainian government troops.

Initially this was received with caution in Moscow — especially given what has been going on for the past nine months in Ukraine — but if that is not a signal from Barack Obama that he is ready to play ball with Russia, then I don’t know what is.

The view in Moscow is that the Obama Administration is telling the Kremlin that it needs help in dealing with ISIS. But as it can’t just say it publicly, it is using Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko to do the honors…the broad anti-ISIS coalition that Obama is hoping to build is not exactly shaping up as planned. Turkey is openly hesitant to get involved, and the Saudis are not exactly over the moon with the whole concept. So Obama’s best bet to get the ball rolling, as it is now seen from Moscow, would be to discreetly work with Russia….

What will Putin ask for in return for helping to defeat ISIS? That’s the question that is probably being mulled over in the White House as you read this. Well, it just so happens that sorting out the mess in eastern Ukraine is Putin’s personal project — just like Syria was last year. He will want some sort of guarantee that Kiev will stick to the new deal about the special status of Donetsk and Lugansk which should help calm things down in the eastern provinces, at least until next spring. That would be a deal that the Kremlin would consider worthwhile. http://www.cnn.com/2014/09/18/opinion/isis-obama-putin-nekrassov/index.html?iid=article_sidebar

While Russia may very well get its way with eastern Ukraine and the USA may decide not to push against it too strongly, the Russian steps in Ukraine and now Sweden are incensing the Europeans. Notice:

Higher military spending in the wake of Russia’s intervention in Ukraine could wipe away the “peace dividend” Europe has enjoyed since the Cold War ended, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development has warned. …

Mr Berglof noted that several central European countries including Poland had announced increases in defence spending, with Nato encouraging members to reach a level of at least 2 per cent of output. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/16b1865c-3e7c-11e4-a620-00144feabdc0.html#axzz3DroKRJrD

Although no one considers that Europe is a major military threat to Russia or the USA, this will change. The ‘pivot’ for the USA towards Asia, combined with Russia’s moves in Ukraine and elsewhere are deeply concerning the Europeans. Europe, despite its current and prophesied problems (Daniel 2:41-43), will rise up for a time.

While the Bible shows that ultimately an apparently Russian led coalition will lead to the destruction of Europe (Daniel 11:44; Jeremiah 50:41-43), this will not happen until after Europe is able to defeat the USA and its Anglo-Saxon allies like Canada (Daniel 11:39) and then an Arabic confederation (Daniel 11:40-43).

Russia does have power, yet its steps are encouraging the rise of the final European Beast power of biblical prophecy (Revelation 13:1-10).

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Russia and Ukraine: Origins and Prophesied Future Where do the Russians come from? What about those in the Ukraine? What is prophesied for Russia and its allies? What will they do to the Europeans that supported the Beast in the end? You can also watch the video Ukraine in Prophecy?
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World War III: Steps in Progress Are there surprising actions going on now that are leading to WWIII? Might a nuclear attack be expected? Does the Bible promise protection to all or only some Christians? How can you be part of those that will be protected? A related video would be Is World War III About to Begin? Can You Escape?
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Is Russia the King of the North? Some claim it is. But what does the Bible teach? Here is a link to a video, also titled Is Russia the King of the North?
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Europa, the Beast, and Revelation Where did Europe get its name? What might Europe have to do with the Book of Revelation? What about “the Beast”? Is an emerging European power “the daughter of Babylon”? What is ahead for Europe? Here is a link to a video titled: Can You Prove that the Beast to Come is European?
European Technology and the Beast of Revelation Will the coming European Beast power would use and develop technology that will result in the taking over of the USA and its Anglo-Saxon allies? Is this possible? What does the Bible teach?
Military Technology and the Beast of Revelation Will the coming Beast power use technology to fulfill passages in Revelation 13? What will this mean for the USA, its Anglo-Saxon allies, as well as a coming Arabic-Turkish confederation? What will Russia, China, and others do about this? Who is developing ‘Beast’ military technology now? What might Galileo, ELI, and supercolliders have to do with this?
Who is the King of the North? Is there one? Do biblical and Roman Catholic prophecies for the Great Monarch point to the same leader? Should he be followed? Who will be the King of the North discussed in Daniel 11? Is a nuclear attack prophesied to happen to the English-speaking peoples of the United States, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand? When do the 1335 days, 1290 days, and 1260 days (the time, times, and half a time) of Daniel 12 begin? When does the Bible show that economic collapse will affect the United States? In the Spanish language check out ¿Quién es el Rey del Norte? Here is a link to a video titled: The Future King of the North.
Prophecies of Barack Obama? Reasons why Barack Obama is apocalyptic and reasons why Barack Obama is not the Antichrist. This article includes many biblical and non-biblical prophecies, from around the world, that seem to discuss Barack Obama. Did Nostradamus predict Barack Obama dealing with the Antichrist? Might Barack Obama set the stage for the kings of the North and South as at least one Shiite prophecy suggests? Read it and decide for yourself if President Obama seems to be fulfilling various prophecies. Watch also the YouTube Barack Obama and the State of the Apocalypse.