Ground Report

Pentagon Press Secretary Rear Adm. John Kirby provided the following readout of a telephone conversation between Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel and Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoygu. While not mentioned in the Pentagon brief – it was the Russian Defense Minister who initiated the contact.

The Pentagon press release read as follows:

“Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel spoke today via telephone with Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoygu to discuss the ongoing situation in Ukraine. Specifically, Secretary Hagel requested clarification regarding the Russian humanitarian convoy.

Minister Shoygu “guaranteed” that there were no Russian military personnel involved in the humanitarian convoy, nor was the convoy to be used as a pretext to further intervene in Ukraine. He acknowledged that the goods would be delivered and distributed under the International Committee of the Red Cross. Minister Shoygu assured Secretary Hagel that Russia was meeting Ukraine’s conditions.

The two ministers discussed the need to have bilateral follow-on meetings of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty.

They also agreed to maintain open lines of communication.”

Source: Pentagon, Department of Defense http://www.defense.gov/Releases/Release.aspx?ReleaseID=16889

See video: Pentagon press briefing https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pGY__PGlU7Q

Note:

Sergey Kuzhugetovich Shoygu (Russian: Серге́й Кужуге́тович Шойгу́, Tuvan: Сергей Күжүгет оглу Шойгу; born May 21, 1955) is a Russian political figure who has served in the government of Russia as Minister of Defence since 2012. Previously he was Minister of Emergency Situations from 1991 to 2012 and briefly served as Governor of Moscow Oblast in 2012. He holds the military rank of General of the Army. He is also the President of the International Sport Federation of Firefighters and Rescuers.

On November 6, 2012 he was appointed as Minister of Defens eby special order of the President of Russia Vladimir Putin  in order to deal with very serious allegations of corruption, embezzlement and fraud within the Russian Defense Department .

Source: Putin sacks Defense Minister amid embezzlement probe, replaces with ex-Emergencies Minister Shoigu http://rt.com/politics/defence-minister-shoigu-serdyukov-048/

Shoygi is a man of unquestioning loyalty and ethical standards.

He is highly decorated and considered a hero of Russia:

Awards include the following:

• Order of St Andrew
• Hero of the Russian Federation
• Order of Merit for the Fatherland 2nd class
• Order of Merit for the Fatherland 3rd class
• Order of Honour
• Order for Personal Courage (USSR)
• Medal Defender of a Free Russia
• Medal “In Commemoration of the 850th Anniversary of Moscow”
• Medal “In Commemoration of the 300th Anniversary of Saint Petersburg”
• Medal “In Commemoration of the 1000th Anniversary of Kazan”
• Three Medals “For Strengthening Military Cooperation” (Ministry of Defence)
• Medal “For Diligence in Engineering Tasks” (Ministry of Defence)
• Medal “200 Years of the Ministry of Defence” (Ministry of Defence)
• Medal “200 Years of the Ministry of Internal Affairs” (MVD)
• Medal “For Merit of the Stavropol Territory”
• Honoured Rescue Worker of the Russian Federation
• Order of “Merit of the Altai Territory”
• Honorary Citizen of the Kemerov Oblast
• Order “Danaker” (Kyrgyzstan)

Various intelligence reports suggest Shoygu is a genius, especially in terms of technical analysis and military strategy. One person said Shoygu is “scary intelligent.” Meaning he has a mind that is like a steel trap. He has quietly reformed the Russian military over the past two years into a more cohesive and unified command force. Behind the scenes he has been the major force behind Russia’s modernization of its armed forces.

See article: Modern weaponry will make up 70% of the Russian arsenal by 2016 https://groundreport.com/modern-weaponry-will-make-up-70-of-the-russian-arsenal-by-2016/

See article: Russia’s fast tracks advanced futuristic combat suits designs ahead of US threat https://groundreport.com/russias-fast-tracks-advanced-futuristic-combat-suits-designs-ahead-of-us-threat/

This is in keeping with President Putin’s military  optimization program initiative:

See article: Putin orders “optimization” of Russian army groups and naval forces that operate in the arctic region https://groundreport.com/putin-orders-optimization-of-russian-army-groups-and-naval-forces-that-operate-in-the-arctic-region/

See article: Putin observes training exercise to test combat readiness of Russian Armed Forces https://groundreport.com/putin-observes-training-exercise-to-test-combat-readiness-of-russian-armed-forces/

This is part of an overall military strategy to be able to meet multiple threats and fight two wars simultaneously 

See article: Russia organizes itself to fight two wars simultaneously https://groundreport.com/russia-organizes-itself-to-fight-two-wars-simultaneously/

Shoygu  is also described in various reports as a  brilliant military tactician, that has strengthened Russia’s nuclear deterrence capabilities across the broad, including such things as ordering increase patrol of Russian ballistic nuclear submarines of the coasts of the United States  and ordered the testing of US (NORAD) air defenses recently by conducting simulated nuclear strike drill by Russian strategic nuclear bombers against the United States (and allied forces in Europe).

See article:  Russia begins increased submarine patrols off the coasts of the United States  https://groundreport.com/russia-begins-increased-submarine-patrols-off-the-coasts-of-the-united-states/

See article: Russian strategic long range nuclear bombers “tested” US air defenses, according to reports  https://groundreport.com/russian-strategic-nuclear-bombers-tested-us-air-defenses-according-to-reports/

See also confidential psychological profile of Sergey Shoygu (Classified).