Source: Press Tv

Tue, 11 Aug 2009

The Russian government seeks out more leverage in the international arena via development of transnational patrols in order to 'defend the country's interests.'

In his meeting with leaders of Russia's main political parties, the Russian President Dmitry Medvedev announced on Monday that the country needed to uphold its defense status via making laws that could provide the legal basis for possible future campaigns far off Russia's borders.

Russia's Defense Ministry mirrored Medvedev's proposal in a statement, noting, "The draft submitted by the president is aimed at forming a fully fledged legal mechanism to allow the commander-in-chief to use armed forces formations abroad to defend the interests of Russia and its citizens."

The new proposition would also sanction Moscow to engage in martial campaigns meant to uproot militancy or crush classic warfare against other countries, should the Kremlin deem the attack on the country-in-question a threat to Russian citizens or interests.

Medvedev would have the authority to deploy troops overseas once Russia's upper legal body in the parliament, the Federation Council, empowers the president to act as such.

Russia maintains that the Kremlin's latest bid would expand Russia's military presence in the world in order for the country to maintain a prepared state in the event of a sudden armed conflict threatening the nations' security.

The Russian president admitted that his decision has been sparked by last year's weeklong conflict with Georgia over the independence of the breakaway provinces of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.