I just heard that Russia would not allow troops in their former Soviet Republics bordering Afghanistan.
This would imply they are pretty much like the old eastern European countries just satellites.
Is this so? What is the SD on them?
I am not the Secretary of State, but I am under the impression that the former republics of the Soviet Union which are all know independent states still are dependent upon Russia for defense and would follow Russia’s lead in foreign policy.
The notable exceptions to this would be the three Baltic republics of Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia.
They have military alliances with Russia but are independent states with their own armed forces. Kyrgyzstan and U.S. forces had large war exercises and games in their country with about three years ago. I’m pointing out this old thread of mine with some military alliance details:
http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=42042
I believe that the Russians were referring to non-C.I.S. forces becoming based in the Russian Army/Air Force bases in the Central Asian republics for carrying out strikes into Afghanistan. Russia does still keep such bases in most if not all the CAR’s under their defense alliances – they are not really satellites any more, more like the sort of cantakerous allies the US is used to having.