Russia vs. the Pirates: Round Four for the Pacific Fleet

 Via Vladimir Pelevin's blog:



Gist:

 A task force left Vladivostok for the Indian Ocean today consisting of the large anti-submarine warfare ship (BPK) Marshall Shaposhnikov, the ocean going tug and the tanker Pechenga. The sailors will ensure the security of vessels in the Horn of Africa area. This will be the fourth deployment by Pacific Fleet vessels to Somalia. During previous deployments our ships escorted more than a hundred vessels from 26 nations and thwarted more than 20 attacks.

 Other reports indicate that the ships will carry detachments of marines and the Shaposhnikov will embark two helos.

Previously, the  BPK Admiral Tributs, the tanker Boris Butoma and the ocean going salvage tug MB-99 returned to Vladivostok on 16 Nov 2009 after a 140 day deployment to the Indian Ocean on piracy patrol.

"Analysis": Why Do I Sense a "Climax" Coming?

Like I said, its just "a sense". There is the kind of breathless quality to the introduction in the video clip, "Alarming news from Somalia...", the repetition in the press about how the Russians have gotten permission from the Somali authorities (for what that's worth) for entering Somali waters, how whatever actions the Russians will take are in accordance with UN resolutions (whatever they are), the repeated assertions in the Russian press dating back to earlier this spring about how the Russians are going to do "something" about piracy and finally the arrival of the Neustrashimyy with the orders to use deadly force if necessary. To me, it seems like they have blustered so much that to arrive off the Horn of Africa and do nothing would be very anti-climactic.

This is a critical period for the Russian Navy - their surface fleet is aging with no replacements in sight. The Commander of the Pacific Fleet promised that the next carrier will go to the Pacific, yet there is no keel laid, the only shipyard in the former Soviet Union with experience building a large deck carrier is in Ukraine and Sevmash seems to be making a botch of the Gorshkov refurbishment (or, depending on your point of view, milking it for all its worth). The newest SSN looks like its going to India and the new Boreys are coming out without a proper weapon, properly tested (the Bulava). It seems to me that the Navy needs a "win" to compete for rubles right about now so that they can build the carriers, the surface fleet and submarines they want.

Like I said - its a good narrative and good publicity for the Navy to take care of business.

Doesn't mean I'm right about it. We'll find out before it snows here in Northern Virginia.

Somali Folly: I Feel a Climax Building

Alarming news from Somalia. The pirates that have captured the Faina have delivered an ultimatum to the ship owners. According to local radio, the pirates have promised to kill the crew within 24 hours if they don't receive a ransom. The sum mentioned is $1,700,000. The captain of the Faina described the conditions aboard the ship that the crew had to endure in the latest telephone call: "The crew has had to crowd into one small room because the pirates can't organize a watch over several rooms at once."

(...)

Somali Folly: Condition Red, Weapons Tight

The Baltic Fleet guard ship Neustrashimyy is ready to battle pirates. She has arrived in the perilous Gulf of Aden and now stands watch. The Navy ship will guard the civilian vessels in the Somali littoral. The Russian Navy Headquarters has already announced that the Neustashimyy is "weapons tight". The pirates have seized dozens of ships for ransom in the last few months, holding more than 180 people.

Pirates Must Shit or Get Off Pot Soon

The Russian are Coming

The Baltic Fleet guard ship (SKR) Neustrashimyy is transiting the Suez Canal on Tuesday and will set course for the Somali littoral according to high-level sources in the Navy General Staff.

After passing through the Suez, Neustrashimyy will transit the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden and end up in the Arabian Sea around Somalia. Before her stands the mission of defending shipping against piracy, convoy of Russian flagged ships and protection of Russian crews and crewmembers," the Admiral said.

According to the Admiral, there is a real threat of capture of Russian ships in the Gulf of Aden around the Horn of Africa.

Earlier the Russian Navy spokesman K1R Igor' Dygalo told RIA Novosti that if the situation around the Ukrainian flagged ship Faina isn't settled by the time the Neustashimyy gets to her assigned area, then the ship will be subject to action by foreign ships which, for the time being, control the maritime situation and are tracking the situation surrounding the ship.

He reminded everyone that UN resolutions adopted recently, aimed at focusing international attention on the problem of piracy, is the foundation of Russian Navy participation in curbing piracy in the Somali littoral.

The SKR Neustrashimyy departed Baltiysk on the 24th of September, setting sail for Somalia to support the security of shipping along the coast of that country. In part, the possibility of the Russian vessel assisting in the freeing of the Faina, which was taken by pirates on 25 September, is not excluded.

The ship was carrying weapons, including 33 T-72 tanks. There is one Latvian, three Russians and 17 Ukrainians on board. The captain, Vladimir Kolobkov, who was a Russian, died. Pirates are threatening to kill the hostages in the event of an operation to free them by force.

According to western analysts, Somali pirates have captured about 60 foreign vessels for ransom in 2008. Their total profits this year may reach 30 million dollars.

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The Somali Folly: Russia Sends a Mothership...Or Is It Bait?

Gist: The Baltic Fleet tanker Yel'na sets sail for the shores of Somalia. There she will rendezvous with the escort ship Neustrashimyy which has been sent there to fight piracy. The tanker carries water, fuel and weapons for the escort ship. The ship is guarded by a detachment of marines armed with sniper rifles and heavy machine guns. They have orders not to allow pirates to get within shot range.