PROG Imagination Casefile

[Guroburov]

Commonwealth of Chrisdom Intelligence services report --EYES ONLY-- for the minister

Intercepted CIA report on the People's Republic of G (PROG) from CIA Mission Center in the American Embassy to BALZAC:

To: Deputy Director David S Cohen
Re: PROG

People's Republic of G (PROG).

Introduction: PROG is an authoritarian ** CENSORED ** republic. A former Soviet satellite nation, they maintain close ties only with Russia.

Geography: Located in norther Europe, PROG is a mountainous peninsula covering about 30,000 km. Despite it's small size, it has a total population of about 21 million.

Government: ** CENSORED ** Republic

Military: unknown but numerous sightings of formations of modern (T-80 and T-64) tanks and APCs.

Sir, we have been singularly unable to insert agents owing to the geography of the region, the insular nature of the regime, and the single border with Russia. Also, Sir, may we respectfully request the recall of the Ambassador to BALZAC as he keeps insisting PROG is in Austria and thus of no interest to the U.S.

CofC addendum:

With the aid of contacts in the FSB, we have obtained detailed files on PROG. The following are highlights of interest.

Founded in 1921 as a ** CENSORED ** republic in the anticipated wave of proletarian revolutions, PROG was an early and dedicated follower of the Soviet state. Troops served in the Soviet army in WWII but were sent home in the post war period following abuses of nationals seen as opposing the revolutionary ideals of their generals.

All sectors of industry and business are controlled by the state. They rely heavily on mining iron and coal and smelting industries. The climate doesn't provide enough food ensuring their reliance on Russia for the foreseable future.

Government policies fostered a culture with large families resulting in massive overpopulation. PROG has a current population of around 35 million people.

With the collapse of the Soviet Union, former minister Henri Guroburov emigrated to PROG and has risen to the premiership. He has close familial ties to many prominent political families in Russia. The government has a particular zeal about cracking down on corruption and crime leading to widespread charges of human rights abuses. It has caused strained ties with Russia.

Most of the PROG military is outdated but surprisingly operational despite having no supplies of spare parts. We suspect they manufacture parts in country but cannot or will not make the vehicles themselves. Much of the equipment dates to the post WWII period and comprises mostly BT-7s, T-34s, and KV series tanks. They have acquired more modern APC's but have only a half company of T-62s and one company of T-80s. They rely heavily on their infantry, which have an unusually high number of ATGMs and MANPADS compared to other countries. They continue to seek more modern weapons. They had a deal in the works with Medvedev but V.P. put the deal on hold after PROG police executed a Russian oligarchs son on charges of subverting officials for personal gain.



Sir, We think Russia doesn't want to see PROG gain modern weapon systems as they fear they would destabilize the region with their antiquated political zeal. They would surely try to export the revolution given a chance.

[chrisswim]

....wondering how far PROG is from Balzac Republi, and Camastan....
Threat ** CENSORED **.

[panzergator]

Guroburov,

Let Chriswim KEEP wondering where PROG is. At the moment, he is looking at your lack of modern equipment and wondering what strategic advantage he might gain by including PROG in CofC. Watch out, as well, for the UIN, notable for its role as a tool of the CofC "camel's nose under the tent flap method of acquiring territory.

[Guroburov]

Thanks, Panzer

Yes, the foreign minister has noted the CofC penchant for trying to use the UIN for their own gain. I don't think they threaten our safety, however, due to the mountainous terrain. And doubtless, Russia would be opposed to having a CofC presence on their albeit limited border with PROG. Still, we hope to gain the additional APCs in the near future to improve infantry mobility.

Steve

[panzergator]

PM sent. Check inbox.

[Guroburov]

Chris, I hope you don't mind my appropriating your Commonwealth to make my casefile. I was just entertained by the idea of having your intelligence assets being more efficient than the CIA, while they complain about their boss.

Hopefully, this next year will see more minis. I'm stuck for now painting backstock from other miniature ranges (soooo many samurai).

Steve

[Guroburov]

Report from CCNN (Commonwealth of Chrisdom News Network.....

The Essen shipping company vessel, MV Kishore, was sighted at the Indian naval base at Parbandar, Gujarat. Repainted with the name MV Tabaahee, it was surrounded by a large force of regular Indian Army troops. Convoys of shipping containers flowed into the shipyard from the Army's Western Command base at Chandigarh and from the Indian Air Force's South Western Air Command base at Ganhinagar, Gunjarat. The Defence Ministry had no comment when this reporter asked about the mysterious convoys. Seeking the truth, we dug deeper. Unnamed sources at the air base confirmed that large stockpiles of obsolete aircraft components were being outloaded. What is the army crating up for shipping? No one would say. Suspicions are raised that this massive arms shipment, gathered with such secrecy, is bound for the warzone in Yerbouti. But we have uncovered the unsavory reality. The crew were issued navigational charts for the waters around PROG. When the ship sails, it will take scant weeks to navigate through the Suez ** CENSORED ** unless diplomacy blocks the ships movement or forces it to navigate the Horn of Africa. Does this arms deal signal a shift away from Russia? Is PROG in an arms race with the more advanced democracies of the world? Does this mean that PROG will get the parts needed to rebuild their aging air force? Can we afford to have a rejuvenated and rearmed PROG? This reporter will continue to seek the facts. For CCNN, this is Blake Dyson.

[chrisswim]

The Commonwealth has arrived in an exalted position in the world.... we have our own New Network, CCNN. The shares went public in trading on 12-5, and then rose from $15 USD to 18 to close at $17.53. Trading was delayed until 10.30am on the NYSE opening at 27.50 closing at $33.12 on 12-6-17. The exculsive news on PROG and the weapons shipment from India has made a global name for CCNN.
.
At the Rectangle (the CC pentagon), some concern has been building the last several days about the arms shipment. There is confirmation of SAM systems, small arms. There have been unconfirmed rumors of some nuclear material. Unfortunately, the CC does not have any ships or subs in the region, the Med-Pac task force is approaching the Philippines navy base at Manila. The UIN has opened discussions on this with the General Secretary summoning the Indian Ambassador for a meeting today.

[Guroburov]

After days of tense meetings, the Indian ambassador to the UIN categorically denied that any munitions or nuclear materials have been loaded for PROG but steadfastly refuses to disclose the exact nature of the shipment. He admitted aircraft parts are part of the shipment but declined to give a breakdown of what was being sent. More troubling, he didn't say that munitions intelligence agencies say were being loaded aboard weren't bound for the fighting in Yerbouti. If the rebels are receiving small arms and SAM systems from India, we should all be concerned. Who bought the weapons? How and when will they be delivered? World leaders strongly condemned the arming of the rebels.

---BREAKING NEWS---

We have just received word that the MV Tabaahee slipped out of port in the evening hours and merged with a group of other transports. That group has since dispersed making trracking the ship that much more difficult. Why would they go to such lengths to disguise the shipments? Is PROG behind all this subterfuge or another world power seeking to tie down attention in Yerbouti?
for CCNN, this is Blake Dyson

[7.62]

An old Balzac armchair general doing the rounds of the the talk shows was on CCNN.

He said the Balzac Navy has complete control over the Yer Bouti coast with corvettes, subs and surveillance aircraft operating from YB (the YB navy being minimal).
Nothing will get in that way to the rebel forces.
Balzac Marines are also deployed in the YB City port area.
The YB Army is doing all it can to close off it's boarders to the rebels operating in the Northern highland and have almost closed the noose on them however they (rebels) still have access overland out to the East.

The long coastline of Western Sahara is a different matter( YB being an enclave within this) and the vast open land areas are a concern.

He also offered another view on the PROG movements.
He said that Sheik Yer Bouti had been expecting a major arms shipment as a basic gift from Balzac.
Indeed 50 MBTs had been seen on the docks in Balzac before the tensions of a few weeks ago.
He believes as part of the diplomatic deal between the CofC and Balzac the MBTs would not go to YB.
Instead a small Balzac force would help the YB Army push out the rebels and the CofC would back off and not cross into Yer Bouti.

Still being a sovereign Country the Sheik was a little bit miffed off at the lack of his new toy's and is now looking to try to upgrade what he has.
The YB Army has older Soviet and Chinese equipment that is being used hard right now.. The Air Force is grounded but several Migs and Mils are scattered around the Country.
It may just be a ploy to try to extract more hardware from the Balzac government.
Or it could be that the Sheik wishes to have more control over his own actions.
It would be very difficult for YB to overhaul it's equipment without outside help.


Either way there is more going on than it seems.

[chrisswim]

The CoC is delighted that Balzac is here to help the Yer Bouti peoples by entry into Yer Bouti, I am sure the Shiek Yer Bouti is delighted as well.
.
The Commonwealth is offering some surplus tanks and armored fighting vehicles to Your a**, errrr Yer Bouti. Would 2 companies of tanks, M47 with 90mm ammo or would Balzac prefer M47E1 with 105mm gun, another option is 30 AMX-30B2. We have some M113 from the 60s, AMX-VCI, and armored cars. [We have not been able to sell any of these on the open or black markets, at least not officially]. Mocorrodom (formerly known as Morocco) is still asserting claim of West Sahara, excluding Yer Bouti of course. But the lack of respect and lack of desire to work together of Shiek Yer Bouti and Moroccodom is strong, no trust. The Commonwealth would like to work with Balzac and Yer Bouti. Certainly when the rebel factions in the northern West Sahara are removed trade and commerce has an opportunity to develop with the port in Yer Bouti and other things in Yer Bouti (no telling). .

[Guroburov]

PROG representative to the UIN, Georgy Tokarov, strongly condemned the unilateral moves on the part of CofC naval assets to patrol the Suez region. "We would remind them that they are not the police for the world and demand that they not interfere in the legal passage of shipping. If they have an issue, we urge them to take it to the UIN and let authorities within sovereign nations to search shipments moving across their borders. Stifling free commerce is unbecoming for so-called capitalist, democratic states."

[chrisswim]

Greece has sent a frigate along with Turkey and Spain to the eastern Med to ensure the safety of the Med and its ceitizens, along with NATO. A type 23 frigate from the UK is being sent to the area as well. NATO condemns the pocession of nuclear weaponry and/or weapon's grade nuclear material. The Ambassador of France and Italy have submitted a resolution for the UIN to condemn the acquisition of weapons grade special weapons. to the NE in the Indian Ocean to help prevent the spread of nuclear material.

SADF is sending a frigate and corvette into the Indian Ocean to help with efforts to prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons. . .

[Guroburov]

"Now we see their true colors. The CofC government demands freedom of the seas but only for themselves and their imperialist allies. They make obviously false claims about deterring the spread of nuclear materials as the reason for obstructing the freedoms of others that they demand for themselves. PROG has never sought nuclear materials, does not seek nuclear materials, and does not need nuclear materials. We engaged in a normal commercial transaction to obtain aircraft and other parts. There are no weapons. There is no ammunition. There are no items that can be used for any nuclear project. They seek to intimidate PROG and thus all nations of the world not under their thumb by interfering in another nations' freedom of the seas. They seek to keep all other nations under their iron shod heel but PROG will never bow to their intimidation."--UIN representative, Georgy Tokarov.

(some days I can't believe I can type so much nonsense without dying laughing, I think it helps I read so much Soviet era propaganda in grad school waaay back-Steve)

[chrisswim]

Several cargo ships with Essen Group logo are in group in the Red sea reported by CCSS Turbulence. 5 of the 7 ships have had new paint applied to the names and vessel numbers.
.
Egypt has received the Pakastani message of nuclear material on board a 100,000 ton cargo ship of the Essen Group. They have sent out the Coast Guard patrol craft and military patrol craft to the area, plan to board and inspect each and every ship in the group since ulclear weapon are not permitted in the Suez waterway, thus in the sovereign territory of Egypt. Inspections took place, only found regular commercial cargo and some military equipment, a Tu-22 in crates, some artillery 122mm ammo, all conventional. All paperwork is in order.