...pirates have seized a Ukrainian ship with military equipment on board.
The M/V Faina was bound for Kenya under the flag of Belize carrying around 30 T-72s and spares for armored vehicles. There are no details for now. The Ukrainian foreign ministry has neither confirmed nor denied the report.
The guard ship (SKR) Neustrashimyy departed the main naval base in the Baltic, Baltiysk on 24 September for a deployment.
The crew of the guard ship Neustrashimyy, under the command of K2R Aleksey Apanovich will carry out practice combat missions far from home waters.
K1R Oleg Gurinov was named deployment commander by the Squadron.
During the deployment the crew of the Neustrashimyy will train on a whole range of combat tasks, including: general quarters drills, search and destroy drills against a notional enemy, damage control training and anti-air training. There will be crew training on the reliability of the machinery and weapons and an accumulation of experience by commanders at all levels on decision making in complicated and unforseen circumstances.
Deputy Commander --- APANOVICH, Vasiliy, Vice-Admiral, appointed [deputy commander, Baltic Fleet) (Agentstvo Voyennykh Novostey 17 May 01).
["Apanovich was born in the Grozno region in Belarus in 1951. He graduated from the Kaliningrad Higher Naval College in 1976, Navy's Higher Officer Classes in 1984 and Navy Academy in 1989. Ananovich occupied various posts in the Baltic Fleet, starting from air defence missile battery commander at the Obraztsovy large anti-submarine ship, chief officer at the Silny and Neukrotimy guard ships, Oktyabrskaya Revolyutsiya cruisers. Later he became commander of the Silny guard ship, then deputy commander of a landing ship brigade. Following that he was promoted to brigade commander and then chief-of-staff of a surface vessels division. Prior to his current appointment, Ananovich commanded the Baltiysk naval base" (Agentstvo Voyennykh Novostey 17 May 01).]
Two days ago I posted a videoclip which the author of the clip advertised as airstrikes by Russian aviation on Georgia and in the end turned out to be a clip of Russian flights in Chechnya and Tadjikistan, which is confirmed by this clip. Sorry for the disinformation.
The Russian Navy will be sinking Somali pirates.
Warships flying the Saint Andrew's Flag will soon appear in African waters. Not for exercises, but with a firm combat mission. The CinC of the Russian Navy Admiral Vladimir Vysotskiy announced on Tuesday that Russia will join with international forces in the fight against piracy around Somalia very soon. He stressed that Russia will make a decision about this independently, and not in the context of any sort of international operation (Comment: Probably refering to TF150, currently led by a Canadian officer IIRC). If there is a successful battle with Somali pirates that are regularly attacking shipping, one can say that our country will have finally returned to the ranks of great maritime powers. That status is not just determined by presence in the world oceans, but also by concrete action. By the way, the maritime situation around Somali is a very knotty problem.
A special agreement on the fight against piracy will be concluded with Somali authorities according to a decision made earlier by a judge on the United Nations International Tribunal on Maritime Law Anatoliy Kolodkin in order that our ships presence in Somali waters is fully legal. Officials in Mogadishu have similar arrangements with 11 other countries already including with the USA, UK and France. The agreements stipulate not only military operations against freebooters, but also cooperation with investigative organs of the signatory countries. But none of the eleven nations have had any success (Comment: Here is a perfect example of the Russian press stretching the truth for internal propaganda purposes and setting the Russian Navy up to look as good a possible since the French have recently had a spectacular success against piracy only last week).
It is worth remembering that this year pirates have more than once captured foreign ships and Russian citizens crewing those ships. There is the example of attacks on ships belonging to a Russian company, but flying the flags of other countries. Somalia has become a corsair stronghold of late. Official government power is unable to influence what is happening on the coast. "The government controls only 51 percent of the country," Vadim Zaytsev, a representitive of the general director of the think tank "Rosafroekspertiz", told RBK daily.
Accordingly, Russia simply cannot turn its head from the problem. Indeed among the five basic principles of Russian foreign policy recently articulated by President Dmitri Medvedev, one priority was the defense of life and safety of Russian citizens "no matter where they are". Now it is time to back up these loud words with action. The escort of Russian and in the event of a request, foreign vessels with armed defense against corsair attack - this is the bare minimum that the Navy must be prepared to do. Besides that, thanks to this mission Russian sailors will receive valuable experience in conditions approaching combat.
Meanwhile there are a whole parcel of complications that come with anti-piracy operations around Somalia. "It isn't quite clear for now where our ships participating in raids against pirates will be based," Vadim Zaytsev noted. "Besides that, if Russia is to act effectively, then she risks at the very least a negative image among the local population." According to experts, the relative stability in the region is due in part to piracy. Many Somalis simply do not have any other sources of money and sustenance. And besides that, Somalia is an Islamic country. And if Russia raids this hive of pirates, like the USA did before, this can raise problems with the Islamic world. This could very well lead to Islamic terrorists targeting Russian embassies in African countries in retaliation.
[...]
Nikolay Ivashov
23.09.2008
HYDROPAC 1841/2008(95,96). SEA OF JAPAN. MISSILES.1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS 2300Z TO 0200Z COMMENCING DAILY
24 AND 25 SEP AND 0400Z TO 0700 DAILY 25 AND 26 SEP
IN AREA BOUND BY
41-55.0N 132-01.3E, 42-15.2N 131-41.9E,
42-38.5N 132-33.5E, 42-41.8N 133-01.1E,
42-40.6N 133-02.4E, 42-22.5N 132-49.6E.
2. CANCEL THIS MSG 260800Z SEP.
Just as Russia has reasserted its power in the Black Sea, it now plans to make waves in the Mediterranean Sea by establishing a major base in Syria, according to a report from Joseph Farah's G2 Bulletin.
This decision not only will allow a permanent presence of Russia's nuclear-armed Black Sea fleet in the Mediterranean, but it also offers the potential for future confrontations between Russia and Israel, as well as with the United States.
The Russian navy has begun to upgrade facilities in Tartus, Syria, and already has backed this up by moving to Syria a flotilla of its powerful warships led by the aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov. The flotilla includes the Russian navy's biggest missile cruiser Moskva and some four nuclear missile submarines.
Some senior administration officials, including Vice President Dick Cheney and some hard-liners in the Pentagon, are advocating the continuation of what they confirm has been a White House-imposed communications blackout on most dealings with Russia and a halt to nearly all bilateral initiatives on security matters.
[...]
Many U.S. officials said the freeze couldn't come at a worse time. They cite intelligence showing that the Caucasus region increasingly is becoming a crossroads for Islamic extremists, criminal mafias, black market traffickers and corrupt government officials.
[...]
Some high-level meetings have been postponed indefinitely, including a trip to Russia by John Rood, the acting undersecretary of State for arms control and international security, to discuss various security issues and to negotiate a new pact to replace the existing Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, or START.
[...]
Russia's cooperation is needed to secure its own nuclear and chemical weapons stockpiles and those of about 20 other countries, and to prevent WMD material, technology and know-how from getting into the hands of terrorists, Mahley and other officials said.
[...]
Fair well, Ochakov.
Thus, on the 21st of September, the hull of the BPK Ochakov was towed to the dock for preparations for towing to the breakers. And so ends the epoch of a great raid on the treasury for the Black Sea Fleet, started by Admiral Kasatonov. Using his position, this bad man (and on this I insist that Kasatonov is a bad man) sent the BPK Azov to the breakers in the 90s, which was in much better condition and, most importantly, functioned!!, which was very uncharacteristic for the 90s. The decommissioning of the Azov allowed Kasatonov to allocate money for the repair of the Ochakov which should have become a "miracle-ship" with all new armament. She didn't and all the money was looted. And the Azov, the only BPK with a modern long range naval SAM, was cut into razor blades...And now Ochakov has been launched down the same path...wicked isn't too strong a term...
[...]
"The active part of the trajectory went without a hitch and ended up in the correct area, the front section separated fine but the warhead bus wasn't able to effect warhead separation", a source told the paper.
He explained that the warheads of the missile wouldn't have worked in combat conditions because of the peculiarities of the device in the Bulava. The paper was not able to obtain comment about this from the Navy spokesman Igor' Dygalo.
Recall that the latest Bulava test took place 18 September, launched from the Dmitriy Donskoy while submerged. Immidiately after the test a representitive of the Ministry of Defence announced that the launch was successful. In his words, the missile successfully destroyed the target at the Kura test range on Kamchatka.
[...]
The SSBN Dmitriy Donskoy launched a Bulava SLBM tonight while submurged. The Ministry of Defense told RBK that the training sections of the missile reached the target in the Kura test range on the Kamchatka Peninsula. A source noted that, "At the moment information about the launch is being analyzed, but it can already be said that the launch and the flight of the missile proceeded normally".
[The Varyag] successfully completed a long range missile firing on a surface target...
"In the opinion of Rear Admiral Sergey Avakyantsa who led the exercises, the firing conducted by the crew of the Varyag was carried out successfully: the sea target was destroyed with the first missile..."
He said that earlier, the crews of minesweepers successfully carried out several tasks including destruction of sea mines using active line charges. The crews of other ships executed anti-swimmer exercises using hand grenades. It was part of an exercise designed to defend ships at undefended roadsteads from sabateurs (Comment: with places like Tartus in mind, perhaps?).
"The task force carried out effective fire against surface targets using anti-aircraft missiles in a surface to surface role during the maneuvers. This has been done successfully by the Pacific Fleet for ten years now. The sailors of the Black Sea fleet used similar tactics in August against the Georgians in order to force them to peace. The task force also successfully destroyed attacking enemy air forces."
[...]
The latest Pacific Fleet exercises are the third in the last month. All have them have bee part of the summer training cycle. More than 50 ships and submarines have taken part in the previous two exercises held off of Kamchatka and Primor'ye as well as elements of naval aviation, coastal defense and marines.
A RIA Novosti report quoted an unnamed representative of the military that the Russian Navy is planning to conduct SLBM launches in the Pacific, most likely on September 15th (although the launch window would last until September 20th). The missiles will be launched from submarines deployed in the Sea of Okhotsk and the Bering Sea.
What's interesting, the missiles will be launched to the Kura test range in Kamchatka and not to the usual Chizha test site at the Kanin Peninsula. This means that the missiles would be tested at an unusually short range (this would require a lofted trajectory) - no more than about 1500-1700 km and maybe as short as 600 km. The purpose of these tests is not entirely clear at this point (although I'm sure we'll hear obligatory references to missile defense).
Another interesting aspect about the upcoming launch is that while the report mentions submarines of the Pacific Fleet, it says that these are Project 667BDRM/Delta IV submarines even though the Pacific Fleer does not have submarines of this type. It is probably just a journalistic error, fairly common in Russia, but it could be something else - some Project 667BDRM submarines may have been moved to the Pacific. I hope we'll find out soon.
Another launch that we should expect next week is the long-awaited flight test of the Bulava missile. It's about time - the Dmitri Donskoy submarine recently returned from sea trials and presumably is ready for action. Also, I have some information that the test is indeed scheduled for some time next week.
This is going to be an interesting week to watch for Russian SLBMs. Stay tuned.
The Black Sea Fleet ship KIL-158 returned from the Syrian Arab Republic where the crew has restored the floating pier in the Technical Support Base in Tartus, Syria.
The heavy lifting ship KIL-158 was built in 1989 at the Neptune Shipyard in Rostok, German Democratic Republic. It has been in the Black Sea Fleet since 1989. KIL-158 is designed for lifting and placing roadstead equipment, attaching and detaching floating docks and also for transporting a wide range of cargoes.
According to the captain, Nikolay Perun, all the work planned for the ship in port was done. The dock was not used for a long time as the massive mooring space was silted in and the anchoring points were broken. The sailors of the heavy lifting ship with the assistance of divers lifted 16 50 ton anchors holding the floating dock, changed out the chains and tightened them up again. The concrete coverings were restored and welding and painting was also done. The crew also offered help to port services and laid an underwater fresh water pipe.
"American ships can remain permanently in the Black Sea according to the Monteux Convention this way: some Black Sea littoral state, say Georgia, obtains American navy ships which would be based in Poti or Batumi and sail under the Georgian flag, but the crew remains American and is actually under the Pentagon's command."
"There has been similar historical precident. For instance, at the beginning of the First World War, Germany fictively gave Turkey the best cruiser of its time, the Goeben, which was renamed the Sultan Selim, but the crew remained German. This led to the Goeben going to Sevastopol' and Turkey's entry into that war," the paper reminds its readers.
According to the authors, while this looks like fantasy, it can't be ruled out that the USA would try that in Crimea, where it is possible that "a Ukrainian flag be raised on an American cruiser, allowing the possibility of it being based in the Sevastopol' while skirting the Montreux Convention."
The crew of the American warship "Dallas" couldn't walk around Sevastopol'. A group of activists from the internet forum sevastopol.info conducted psychological warfare against the NATO sailors.
As a participant in the forum by the nickname LenaDonbass told "Novyy Region", residents of Sevastopol' didn't want to let the crew of the American ship ashore. But the police convinced the picketers to temporarily relent since allegedly the sailors would only go ashore no earlier than five in the evening.
"People left and only then the Americans appeared", Elena said. "When they departed, we formed a human chain to block them. But they charged through like bulls, 30 or 35 guys, in an organized group, but in civilian clothes."
The Americans pressed part of the picket line into a barbed wire fence. Many were scratched bloody.
"Naturally, after this we were very angry, running after them through the city, not allowing them to photograph anything and warning merchants in stores that they were the crew of the Dallas", Elena said...
"When we said that these are the Americans that delivered weapons to Georgia, people reacted very aggressively. Guys went up to them and asked us to leave so they could kick some American ass. But we tried to head off illegal action. There are already a lot of charges against activists by the police", Elena explained.
In her opinion, thanks to the escort by forum activists they succeeded in avoiding a massive confrontation with the civilian population.
"There were a few confrontations, but we tried to not allow serious incidents and tried to not let any repeat themselves. Return to your ship, you aren't welcome here", Elena said.
Some American military guys decided to buy some ice cream on Nakhimov Square. But forum activists asked the girl not to sell them any.
"We went up to her and asked her not to sell the Americans ice cream, that they are killers who brought weapons to Georgia. She thanked us for the warning. Sailors went up to her and we told them that she didn't speak English and wouldn't sell them ice cream. They answered that everyone speaks the language of money. The girl knitted her eyebrows and turned away from them, confusing the Americans."
According to Elena, the forum activists were able to drive two groups of sailors back to the ship.
"The police began to curse us, saying that we were creating a circus. We began to curse them back and that they were carrying out an illegal order and provoking a clash between the peaceful population and the military yet again, only this time, with the American military", Elena emphasized.
She added that the activists were planning to report the actions of the police to the authorities.
"Its not the first time that the police provoked a clash. The Ukrainian military police hasn't stopped criminal activity so it was up to regular people to do it. As far as the Americans go - they protected them, and when nationalists come into town, they protect them, too," - according to indignant forum dwellers.
Remember that the Coast Guard ship Dallas pulled into port on 01 September at the invitation of the Ukrainians while it was on its way from Georgia. The next morning she was gone.
[...]
Fucking niggers!
We hate all of you and we would start killing you in Sevastopol soon!
Kindest regards to your fucking black-ass monkey Kondoleeza!
Fuck you bloodу bastards!
It's abundantly clear that in general, the Russian Black Sea Fleet and Groups of Forces in this region is weak. In the big picture, we continue to lose our position in the Black Sea basin. And it would behoove the military-political leadership to immediately pay attention to this weakness.
04 Sep 2008
In the near future, the SSBN Yuri Dolgoruki will conduct sea trials in the test range in the White Sea. According to a 04 Sep story by Interfax, the preparations to go to sea are being done jointly with the crew and specialists from OAO Sevmash.
The testing will include checks of the power plant and combat systems. The exact date the boat will go to sea hasn't been announced.
The Yuri Dolgoruki is the lead in the Borey-class/Project 955 strategic missile cruiser. She was launched in April, 2007 and it is expected to be commissioned later this year. Sevmash is currently constructing two more of the class - the Alexandr Nevskiy and the Vladimir Monomakh.
The Yuri Dolgoruki displaces 24,000 tons. The maximum speed is 29 knots. She is armed with six 650mm torpedo tubes, four 533mm torpedo tubes and 16 ballistic missile launchers for the Bulava.
We have just received footage of the American destroyer (sic) Mount Whitney transiting the Dardanelles. According to the Turkish authorities, this is the third American vessel to transit the straits. The amphibious command destroyer can conduct strategic electronic reconnaissance and is one of the most modern ships in the American fleet. According to the Americans she is on her way to Georgia with humanitarian cargo.
[The "Smetlivyy"] was stationed off the coast of Abkazia for almost a month and a half and participated in the resolution of Georgian-Ossetian and Georgian-Abkhaz conflicts. In part, she controlled the landing of Black Sea Fleet Marines. The "Smetlivyy" entered port with no interference from the Ukrainian Navy.
According to fleet HQ, the fleet flagship "Moskva" is expected back in the near future. Besides her, right now the large landing ships "Azov", "Tsezar' Kunikov", "Yamal" and several auxiliary and salvage ships which were sent to the conflict zone are in Novorossiysk.
Poti's port reportedly suffered heavy damage from the Russian military. In addition, Russian troops have established checkpoints on the northern approach to the city, and a U.S. ship docking there could have been seen as a direct challenge.
Meanwhile, the Russian missile cruiser Aurora and two missile boats anchored at the port of Sukhumi, the capital of Abkhazia, some 300 kilometers north of Batumi. The Russian Navy says the ships will be involved in peacekeeping operations.
Whats up with these "five fast moving Georgian boats" with "powerful anti-ship missiles" when there are only two missile boats in the Georgian order of battle?
Besides that, there weren't any SSMs and the radars weren't working.
In the article the sunken vessel was named as the "Tbilisi", but the internet is lousy with pics of that missile boat burning in Poti.
Same as it ever was...more questions than answers. A shame.
