Watching Russian Air & Sea Activity
Moderators Note
I have changed the thread title from 'Russian Fleet Movements' to 'Watching Russian Air & Sea Activity' to reflect the posts here referring to both air and naval activity. Note one theme is the apparent testing of NATO alertness (ends).
These completely, totally unrelated events deserve their own little thread.
September 3rd.
Quote:
A Russian Navy task force is en route to the eastern Arctic, according to a report from RIA Novosti. The deployment is said to be part of the Russian government’s Arctic policy, which is designed “to uphold Russia’s status as a leading Arctic power, strengthen its security … and ensure national interests.” Led by the heavy nuclear-powered guided-missile cruiser Pyotr Veliky, the task force, which includes the large amphibious assault ships Olenegorsky Gornyak and Kondopoga and a variety of support vessels, has left the Severomorsk base and entered the Barents Sea, RIA Novosti reports. The squadron will carry out various training missions in the vicinity of the Novossibirsk Islands. The deployment is said to be the Russian Navy’s second large-scale exercise in the Northern Sea Route in the past two years.
http://blogs.ottawacitizen.com/2013/...astern-arctic/
Quote:
Not a single Canadian search-and-rescue aircraft is based in the Arctic. Helicopters and 45-year-old Hercules planes are deployed from Canada’s more southerly regions. An attempt to procure replacement planes began in 2002, but again, no construction contract has been signed.
Russia has 16 deep-water ports in the Arctic. Canada’s sole Arctic port is at Churchill, Man., nearly 2,000 kilometres south of the Northwest Passage. A plan to transform a disused wharf on Baffin Island into an all-year naval base, announced in 2007, has been delayed and curtailed.
The combination of melting ice and Russian state investment has led to a recent tenfold increase in shipping along the Northern Sea Route, with more than 40 large ships – mostly bulk carriers and oil tankers – sailing through last year.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/comme...ticle13696054/
September 4.
Quote:
The Nastoichivy destroyer of the Russian Baltic Fleet and the Smetlivy escort ship of the Black Sea Fleet will join the Russian naval unit in the Mediterranean within the next few days, a Russian Navy Main Staff source told Interfax-AVN on Wednesday.
"The Smetlivy escort ship will start its combat mission in the Mediterranean according to the operational command\'s plans within the next few days. There are plans that the Nastoichivy destroyer, the Baltic Fleet flagship, should join our ships as well," the source said.
The Smetlivy has a water displacement of 4,460 tonnes and is armed with the Kh-35 Uran anti-ship missiles, the AK-726 artillery system, the Volna anti-aircraft missile system (16 missiles), a 533-mm torpedo launcher (5 torpedoes), and two RBU-100 launchers.
According to the Russian Defense Ministry information, the Neustrashimy escort vessel and the Alexander Shabalin, Admiral Nevelskoi, and Peresvet landing ships are currently performing their missions in line with the operational headquarters' plans.
The Novocherkassk and Minsk landing ships belonging to Russia's Black Sea Fleet and Baltic Fleet should join the group on September 5-6. The SSV-21 Priazovye medium reconnaissance vessel, which left the port of Sevastopol on September 1, is performing a special General Staff mission.
http://rbth.ru/news/2013/09/04/two_m...nit_29492.html
Which is linked to -
May 15, 2013 Inna Soboleva, RBTH
Quote:
Plans to reestablish a military presence in the Mediterranean aim to stabilize the military and political stability in the region.
http://rbth.ru/international/2013/05...nce_25999.html
And the best part -
Quote:
“At the end of the year, most likely in early December, the Project 11435 heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser the Admiral Kuznetsov will set off on a long-distance sea voyage during which it will call at the Russian Federation Navy's logistical support centre located in the Syrian city of Tartus,” Russia’s Defense Ministry said in a statement,
http://thediplomat.com/the-editor/20...an-naval-base/
Eastern Mediterranean cruising
From the Russian press agency Interfax:
Quote:
Large amphibious ships (BDK), Baltic and Black Sea fleets "Novocherkassk" and "Minsk" with intelligence ship "Azov", breaking the Dardanelles came out into the waters of the Mediterranean Sea and headed for the Eastern Mediterranean, "Interfax" on Friday the Main Staff of the Navy.
According to him, landing craft began to move to designated areas of the Eastern Mediterranean, where they will perform the tasks of the operational plans of the Navy command in the group. Average intelligence ship will operate on a separate plan of the General Staff.
Link:www.interfax.ru/world/news.asp?id=327458
A good use of a 44 year-old destroyer?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
AdamG
This sounds like something off the Sy-Fy channel - Russians sending an ancient destroyer to the Med...
Sounds like a good depository for a Chem weapons stockpile moved out of Syria in response to the Russian suggestion (BBC reported) to Syria that it put its chem stockpile under international control followed by destruction of said stockpile. What would be easier than to scuttle that destroyer someplace over the Mariannas Trench after filling it up with Syrian VX, Sarin, and Mustard shells and the precursor chemicals on hand? One wonders whether the ship is big enough though.
