The Bulletin: Blowing smoke?

I was reading this: Russian Nuclear Posture.

And the validity of the Bulletin has always been in question with me; Rogue would know this first hand as I and him have debated statistics for some time now - he using the Bulletin as his primary source.

I want to direct to your attention citation number 3. Specifically this citation because this one I was trying to cross-reference to no success.

The citation is of the following quote:

On December 24, 2005, Col. Gen. Nikolai Solovtsov, the commander of Russia's strategic missile forces, reaffirmed another layer to Russia's posture. Amid a dispute between Russia and Ukraine over natural gas supplies, Solovtsov told ITAR-TASS that Russia's "nuclear umbrella" defends "not only Russia but also all [Commonwealth of Independent States] countries, including Ukraine," an interesting statement given Ukraine's aspiration to join NATO.

The citation is the following:

"RF [Russian Federation], Ukraine to Sign Deal to Extend Operation of Strategic Missiles," ITAR-TASS, December 24, 2005. The quote was worded differently in another source: "We should not forget that our nuclear umbrella covers not only Russian territory but all the CIS [Commonwealth of Independent States] countries, including Ukraine" ("Russia-Ukrainian Gas Dispute Unrelated to Heavy Missile Use," Novosti, December 24, 2005).

So I decided to search for this in Russian instead of English translation and I found this english translation:

Ukrainian natural gas dispute

So I followed through by finding the Russian news article:

Nuclear Forces of Russia Can Return Any Threats

The following site in Russian is translated (paraphrased) as follows.

Russian Strategic Rocket Forces Commander Solovtzov states any threat can be retaliated.

After the prayer cermony of the stand by alert Fifth Rocket Regiment armed with the Intercontinental Ballistic Missile Topol-M, Journalists asked of the Commander whether or not the Anti-Ballistic Missile Systems in Alaska, USA would affect Russian Nuclear Capabilities.

"Setting the regiment to Stand-by Alert and armed with the Topol-M Rockets, both stationary and mobile, and in the near future the adoption of the new complex Bulava will answer any threats" - said the General.

So what happend? Why is the english translation of this website so "confused"? I don't know why; but it clearly mixes the facts of one event and the facts of a completely unrelated event and suggests that the General said something...then American Magazine Writers take this and misconstrue it even further to invent a Russian Nuclear Posture...

I'm confused by the citation number 3 and I'm confused about the validity of The Bulletin.

I believe the Bulletin to be full of retards.

PS for those of you unaware www.rian.ru is Novosti sited in the Bulletin.

[edit on 15-3-2006 by Stratrf_Rus]