|
Russia's Black Sea Fleet, South Stream and Somali Pirates
http://www.eurasianet.org/node/62806
January 31, 2011 - 6:12pm, by Joshua Kucera
Over the past couple of years Russia has announced a major overhaul of the vessels in its Black Sea Fleet, and secured long-term basing rights to keep the fleet in Sevastopol, on Ukraine's Crimean coast.
But one question has remained throughout this process: what's the point? The Black Sea is no longer a front line between the Soviets and NATO, and the security issues in the sea are very modest. The fleet was used, of course, in the Russia-Georgia war in 2008, but its role was hardly decisive.
Dmitry Gorenburg -- whose writings on Russian naval affairs are a must-read -- flags an analysis piece (in Russian) by a Russian writer, Mikhail Lukanin, who interprets all the recent Russian naval modernization plans to divine a Russian grand strategy.
Globally, the moves indicate a shift away from considering the U.S. as the enemy, and a greater orientation towards Russia. Gorenburg writes:
Based on its shipbuilding plans, Russia no longer considers the US an opponent. Instead of ships aimed at destroying US attack submarines and aircraft carriers, Russia plans to build smaller multipurpose ships such as frigates and corvettes.
Furthermore, ship building plans indicate that in the coming years, the Pacific Fleet will become the most important Russian fleet, taking over from the Northern Fleet. Its main mission will be to deter potential Chinese aggression against Russia. It could also be used in the event of a conflict with Japan over the Kuril Islands, though I can’t imagine that how that dispute could lead to an armed conflict. Because of the priority given to this fleet, the first of the newly purchased Mistral ships will go to the Pacific Fleet.
And for the Black Sea Fleet? The missions will be protecting pipelines and combating piracy. Lukanin:
Nevertheless, the Black Sea Fleet today performs two important functions of control and protection of the South Stream pipeline. In addition, one of the "Mistrals" will be assigned to the Black Sea Fleet, which will be tasked with the fight against Somali pirates.
Georgia isn't included, and the other Black Sea littoral states aren't even mentioned. That doesn't mean Russia's giving up the fight in the sea -- but that it just doesn't need much of a naval force to defend it. Pointing out that in the 2008 war, seven NATO ships entered the Black Sea, Lukanin notes: "According to experts, they could easily be destroyed by our ground-attack aircraft, as the ships were desperately close to our military bases."
Anyway, 18 ships seems a bit excessive to defend the South Stream pipeline and to hunt Somali pirates. My guess: it's just bureaucratic inertia from the days of the Cold War, the same reason the U.S. still has bases in Germany and Japan.
Bombs planted six months ago found at hydro dam
http://rt.com/news/six-months-hydro-dam/print/
Published: 1 February, 2011, 11:40
Edited: 1 February, 2011, 11:55
Engineers repairing the Irganayskaya hydropower plant in the southern Russian republic of Dagestan have discovered two improvised explosive devices. They may have been planted last September and failed to detonate.
The two bombs made of TNT empowered with aluminum powder were hidden in a turbine, which had been out of order for six months. Explosives engineers have disarmed the devices.
Dagestani police told Interfax news agency that the alarming find may be linked to a failed bombing attempt on September 8. Back then, a fire started in the turbine. Firefighters traced it to a planted bomb, which did not detonate on triggering. The turbine was damaged and had been in the process of repair ever since.
GOOGLE TRANSLATION
Attack on Irganayskaya HPP prevented in Dagestan – two bombs defused in one of the turbines
01.02.2011, 08.57
http://www.itar-tass.com/level2.html?NewsID=15909983&PageNum=0
MAKHACHKALA, February 1. Itar-Tass. In Dagestan, on Irganayskaya HPP on Monday prevented the attack, Itar-Tass in law enforcement structures of the republic. In the turbine shaft number 1 in the planned renovations were discovered two explosive devices.
"Yesterday about 10 am it was discovered polymer package with wires sticking out of it, in which there were two 400-gram TNT block, reinforced with a mixture of aluminum powder weighing 1.5 kg, with electric detonators, - said the source. - Around 16:15 MSK in same turbine was found a cardboard box in which there were four 200-gram TNT charge, 200 g of plastic, aluminum powder and an electric wrapped in duct tape. "
Both dangerous findings were neutralized by sappers.
2 fighters wiped out in special operation in Dagestan
http://english.ruvr.ru/2011/02/01/42251523.html
Feb 1, 2011 10:31 Moscow Time
Two rebel fighters have been wiped out in a special operation in Dagestan. The ITAR-TASS news agency quotes the National Antiterrorist Committee as saying that the extremists were blocked in a private house on the outskirts of Makhachkala. The antiterrorist operation was launched there at 7 a.m. today. The commandoes tried to persuade the militants to surrender but the latter chose to escape. According to the law enforcement agencies, the killed fighters were involved in murders of policemen and civilians.
February 01, 2011 10:44
Anonymous bomb scare false - Moscow law enforcement
http://www.interfax.com/newsinf.asp?id=219123
MOSCOW. Feb 1 (Interfax) - The anonymous calls to Moscow police on Tuesday about bombs, allegedly planted at vital facilities throughout the city, were false, a law enforcement source told Interfax.
"Several calls were received about bombs allegedly planted in the Botkinskaya Hospital, State Duma and the Aktyor Gallery on Pushkinskaya Square," he said.
Emergency services checked the places, he said, adding that, "the calls were not confirmed."
sd mj
Do'stlaringiz bilan baham: | 
