Haaretz reports: “Russian warships are due to arrive at Syrian territorial waters, a Syrian news agency said, indicating that the move represented a clear message to the West that Moscow would resist any foreign intervention in the country’s civil unrest.

Also, a Syrian official said Damascus has agreed ‘in principle’ to allow an Arab League observer mission into the country.

But the official said that Syria was still studying the details. The official asked not to be named because the issue is so sensitive.

The Arab League suspended Syria over its deadly crackdown on an eight-month-old uprising. The 22-member body has proposed sending hundreds of observers to the country to try to help end the bloodshed…” (This headline proves that Russia is going to protect Syria because Russia and Syria unite along with numerous other Arabic nations for the battle of Armageddon – Ezekiel 38 & 39; Daniel 11:40; Isaiah 17:1; Ezekiel 38:5, 7; and Psalm 83:5-7. See also the next two reports.)

SpaceDaily.com reports: “Russia, a key backer of the beleaguered regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, is reported to have delivered supersonic Yakhont SS-N-26 anti-ship cruise missiles to Damascus despite calls for a U.N. arms embargo on the regime.

The Russian Interfax news agency quoted an unidentified military source in Moscow as saying the 2007 contract, which reportedly involved at least two coastal-defense Bastion anti-ship systems with 72 Yakhonts, ‘was completely fulfilled, almost ahead of time.’…

Interfax noted that ‘this weapon allows coverage of the entire coastline of Syria from possible attacks from the sea.’…”

BBC News reports: “Russia has said Syria should not be issued with any more ultimatums, a day after the West called for more action against President Bashar al-Assad.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said further attempts should be made to engage Damascus in political dialogue.

Meanwhile, Turkey has said it is considering imposing a buffer zone along its border to protect Syrians.

A UN panel said Syrian forces were committing ‘crimes against humanity’ in their crackdown.

The study by an independent panel, appointed by the Human Rights Council, said civilians – including children – had been murdered, tortured and sexually assaulted during the uprising against Mr. Assad…”

Voice of America News reports: “Russia’s Vladimir Putin has formally accepted his ruling party’s nomination to return to the presidency, in an address in which he warned the West against funding his political opponents.

Putin, who became prime minister in 2008 after two presidential terms, spoke in Moscow to a televised congress of his United Russia party. He accused unnamed foreign countries of bankrolling opposition efforts to influence the outcome of next week’s parliamentary elections and presidential polls set for March.

Putin formally announced in September that he intended to reclaim the presidency next year in polls that analysts say he is certain to win. Under the deal, he will name current President Dmitry Medvedev as his prime minister.

The planned job swap has angered many in Russia, who say it would strengthen authoritarian trends and clear the way for Mr. Putin to become Russia’s longest-serving leader since communist times…” (Putin accepts the nomination as he planned it in 2008 but Russian protestors may make his dream impossible. Soon the “Gog of Magog” a powerful Russian leader will take over and smash all opposition and the former and leading spy of the past KGB may lead the world in the greatest war in history – Ezekiel 38:1, 2, 5, 8, 16; Joel 2:3, 20, and 30. See the next two reports.)

SpaceDaily.com reports: “Russia activated a radar warning system against incoming missiles in its exclave of Kaliningrad on the borders of the EU, in response to Western plans for a US missile shield in Europe.

President Dmitry Medvedev announced that the Voronezh-DM station was moving on to immediate combat readiness, days after threatening to deploy missiles in Kaliningrad amid a growing dispute with the West.

‘I expect that this step will be seen by our partners as the first signal of the readiness of our country to make an adequate response to the threats which the (Western) missile shield poses for our strategic nuclear forces,’ Medvedev said.

Using rhetoric reminiscent of the Cold War, he added: ‘If this signal is not heard, we will deploy other methods of protection including the taking of tough countermeasures and the deployment of strike forces.’…”

SpaceDaily.com reports: “NATO allies will strive to convince Moscow that their European missile shield is not aimed at Russia after the Kremlin threatened to deploy weapons systems near EU borders.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will join her 27 NATO counterparts for talks that will also touch on the security transition in Afghanistan, ties with the Arab world and tensions in Kosovo.

They will then meet with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to tell him the missile shield will go ahead but that NATO still wants to negotiate a cooperation deal with Moscow, alliance diplomats said.

‘Rather than having threats to NATO in response to the deployment of NATO missile defences, it would be better if NATO and Russia were to cooperate on dealing with the threats that we face in common,’ said a senior NATO official.

A diplomat said NATO wants to ‘calm things down’ after Russia activated a radar warning system against incoming missiles in its exclave of Kaliningrad on the EU’s borders…”