Russia Is Deploying The Largest Naval Force Since The Cold War For Syria

Just moments ago we reported that in the latest escalation involving Syria, the Russian aircraft carrier Kuznetsov was now sailing past Norway on its way to Syria, where it is expected to arrive in just under 2 weeks. As part of the carrier naval group, Russia also deployed an escort of seven other Russian ships, which we dubbed the "most powerful Russian naval task force to sail in northern Europe since 2014" according to Russia's Nezavisimaya Gazeta daily reports.

It turns out it was more than this and as Reuters reported second ago, citing a NATO diplomat, Russia is in fact deploying the largest naval force since end of Cold War to reinforce its Syria campaign.

SENIOR NATO DIPLOMAT SAYS RUSSIA IS DEPLOYING ALL OF NORTHERN FLEET AND PART OF BALTIC FLEET TO REINFORCE SYRIA CAMPAIGN
DEPLOYMENT IS RUSSIA'S LARGEST NAVAL DEPLOYMENT SINCE END OF COLD WAR - NATO DIPLOMAT
DEPLOYMENT WILL INCREASE NUMBER OF RUSSIAN FIGHTER BOMBERS IN SYRIA, MOSCOW MAY LAUNCH FINAL AIR ASSAULT ON ALEPPO IN TWO WEEKS - NATO DIPLOMAT

While there is little we can add to this that we did not just say in the previous post, we want to remind readers what the east Meditteranean looked like in the summer of 2013, when the first escalation between Russia and the US converted the sea off the Syrian coastline into a parking lot for warships.



In two weeks, it is about to get much busier.

For those who missed it, here are the highlights from our previous post on the composition of the Russian flotilla:

According to a report by the Norwegian military which released pictures taken by surveillance aircraft, we know that the Kuznetsov accompanied by a fleet of Russian warships, is currently on its way to Syria and is sailing in international waters off the coast of Norway near Trondheim. Photos of the vessels, which include the aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov and the Pyotr Velikiy battle cruiser, were taken near Andoya island, in northern Norway on Monday.



As reported by Reuters , a spokesman for the Norwegian military intelligence service said the country's armed forces frequently releases such footage, while newspaper VG quoted General Morten Haga Lunde, head of the service, as saying the eight ships involved "will probably play a role in the deciding battle for Aleppo". According to Russia's TASS state news agency, the aircraft carrier would carry 15 Su-33 and MIG-29K jet fighters and over 10 Ka-52K, Ka-27 and ??-31 helicopters.



The naval group which includes the carrier and its escort of seven other Russian ships, is the most powerful Russian naval task force to sail in northern Europe since 2014, Russia's Nezavisimaya Gazeta daily reports. The carrier can carry more than 50 aircraft and its weapons systems include Granit anti-ship cruise missiles.

Next in the flotilla, in terms of firepower, is the Russian nuclear-powered battle cruiser Peter the Great.



The Kirov-class cruiser Peter the Great escorts the carrier

As BBC adds, a Norwegian Lockheed P-3 Orion reconnaissance plane, monitoring the force, photographed the ships. MiG-29 Fulcrum jets and combat helicopters were visible on the carrier's deck.

The other Russian surface ships in the group are: two large anti-submarine warships - the Severomorsk and Vice-Admiral Kulakov - and four support vessels.



Several of the task force ships are shown in this Norwegian photo




Credit to Zero Hedge

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Now Russia tells the US ‘if you want a war you will get one EVERYWHERE’

RUSSIA has warned the US it will give America a war if it wants one after Joe Biden called for an all-out cyber assault on Kremlin emails.

Moscow military experts have said Vladimir Putin will not back down amid escalating tensions between the global superpowers, blasting the White House’s “aggressiveness”.

US Vice President Biden revealed last weekend that Washington will be launching an attack on the Russian government’s emails.

But Kremlin military chief Lt Gen Yevgeny Buzhinsky described the provocative action as “full-scale confrontation”.

The retired general added: "Of course there is a reaction. As far as Russia sees it, as Putin sees it, it is full-scale confrontation on all fronts. If you want a confrontation, you'll get one.”

"But it won't be a confrontation that doesn't harm the interests of the United States. You want a confrontation, you'll get one everywhere.”

Spokesman for the Russian government Dmitry Peskov moved quickly to denounce Biden’s threats.

He said: "The threats directed against Moscow and our state's leadership are unprecedented because they are voiced at the level of the US vice president.




Credit to express.co.uk

http://www.express.co.uk/news/world/722267/Russia-Vladimir-Putin-US-world-war-third-nuclear-fears-get-war-everywhere-Joe-Biden

Saudis and China Dump Treasuries they Liquidate A Record $346 Billion In US Paper

One month ago, when we last looked at the Fed's update of Treasuries held in custody, we noted something troubling: the number dropped sharply, declining by over $27.5 billion in one week, the biggest weekly drop since January 2015, pushing the total amount of custodial paper to $2.83 trillion, the lowest since 2012. One month later, we refresh this chart and find that in the latest weekly update, foreign central banks continued their relentless liquidation of US paper held in the Fed's custody account, which tumbled by another $22.3 billion in the past week, pushing the total amount of custodial paper to $2.805 trillion, another fresh post-2012 low.

 

Then today, in addition to the Fed's custody data, we also got the latest monthly Treasury International Capital data, which showed that the troubling trend presented last one month ago, has accelerated. Recall that a month ago,  we reported that in the latest 12 months we have observed a not so stealthy, in fact quite massive $343 billion in Treasury selling by foreign central banks in the period July 2015- July 2016, something truly unprecedented in size and scope.

Fast forward to today when in the latest monthly update, that of July, we find that what until a month ago was "merely" a record $343 billion in offshore central bank sales in the LTM period ending July 30, one month later this number has risen to a new all time high $346.4 billion, or well over a third of a trillion in Treasuries sold in the past 12 months.  

Among the biggest sellers - on a market-price basis - not surprisingly was China, which in July "sold" $34 billion in US paper (the actual underlying number while different, as this particular series is adjusted for Mark to Market variations, will be similar), the biggest monthly dump going back to 2012, and bringing its total to $1.185 trillion, the lowest total since 2012.

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It wasn't just China: Saudi Arabia also continued to sell its TSY holdings, and in August its stated holdings (which again have to be adjusted for MTM), dropped from $96.5BN to $93Bn, the lowest since the summer of 2014.

As we pointed out one month ago, what is becoming increasingly obvious is that both foreign central banks, sovereign wealth funds, reserve managers, and virtually every other official institution in possession of US paper, is liquidating their holdings at a very troubling pace. In some cases, like China, this is to offset devaluation pressure; in others such as Saudi Arabia, it is to provide the funds needed to offset the collapse of the petrodollar, and to backstop the country's soaring budget deficit.

So who are they selling to? The answer, at least for now, is private demand, in other words just like in the stock market the retail investor is the final bagholder, so when it comes to US Treasuries, "private investors" both foreign and domestic are soaking up hundreds of billions in central bank holdings. We wonder if they would do that knowing who is selling to them.

Meanwhile, while just two months ago yields had tumbled to near all time lows, suddenly the picture is inverted, and long-yields are suddenly surging on concerns the BOJ, the Fed, and maybe even the ECB will soon taper their purchases of the long end.

What happens if in addition to the relentless selling from foreign official institutions, private sellers also declare a buyer's strike. The answer? More Fed monetization of US debt will be the most likely outcome, aka more QE. We bring this up because, amusingly, the Fed is still harboring some naive hope it can/will raise rates in the coming week and/or months.

Credit to Zero Hedge

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