At the end of last week, the small missile ships (MRK) “Serpukhov” and “Green Vale”, accompanied by rescue tug SB-36 into the Baltic sea. This trip around Europe, which began on 4 October in Sevastopol, not widely publicized, but certainly can be considered one of the most courageous, though risky operations in the history of the modern Russian Navy. Why?
First, not every campaign of the Russian warships that are small by modern standards, the NATO leadership monitors this on a daily basis. He publicly admitted 27 Oct personally by the NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.
Secondly, Yakov Kushnir, the chief designer of small missile ships of project 21631 “Buyan-M”, to what are and “Serpukhov” and “Green Vale”, probably in a nightmare could not have dreamed that he became famous after missile strikes on Syria, a multi-purpose establishment, designed for combat in shallow areas of the Caspian and in the Volga Delta, ever is forced to send into the Atlantic ocean. Even in the meaningful accompanied by a rescue tug.
Thirdly, time to prepare for the transition to the Baltic sea the black sea the crews were given short. Judge for yourself: the second half of August and in early September, both ships spent in the combat area off the coast of Syria. August 19 “Serpukhov” and “Green Vale” jointly shot by the terrorists three missiles “Caliber-NK”. In Sevastopol, returned on September 17. And just two weeks left in the current, unprecedented for their difficulty hike. In the best case — only adding to the naval reserves and received new sets of sailing directions and maps. Without the slightest opportunity to hold the usual in such cases morpohology repair and maintenance. Without the rest of the crews.
Moreover, according to the information of Sebastopol, first to prepare for the transition to the Baltic sea was given General half — only week. The output of the main black sea fleet base was designated on 24 September. However, the itinerary was quite different inland waterways of Russia. Across the don, the Volga-don canal, the Volga, lake Ladoga and lake Onega. Which, of course, it would be much easier and safer for the “brawlers.” But it did not happen. For the first time in 40 years, don has shoaled so that in some places pass on it proved impossible, even for ships with a draught of just 2.6 metres.
Obviously, in Sevastopol waited another week, the weather will change, westerly winds bring water from the sea of Azov and the don will be able to overcome without the risk of grounding. Not wait. And to drag this situation is not allowed. The road to the Baltic sea for “Serpukhov” and “Green Dollars” was left alone — across the ocean. Including through one of the most godforsaken in the storm against the Atlantic — Bay of Biscay.
To force to act as Main command of the Navy, it appears, could only extraordinary circumstances. Apparently, they happened. Threaten or be about to happen.
According to some, MRK both for the black sea fleet will not return and will be the basis for the formation of a new brigade of missile ships in the Baltic. However, once “Serpukhov” and “Green Vale” came to these waters from Sevastopol mode scalded cat, so at least sparse of the fence “Caliber-NK” in these waters took to us immediately, without delay? What happened?
In my opinion, for the urgent transfer of Russian warships in the Baltic clearly guessed associate Professor Royal military College of Sweden Thomas Rice. The newspaper Aftonbladet he stated that “the direction of the two submarines at the naval base in Kaliningrad is part of Russia’s strategy to establish control over the Baltic sea. In case of conflict corvettes equipped with missiles “Caliber”, will be able to close the Baltic sea to foreign ships of war”.
Control over the Baltic sea — a thing certainly useful. But is it worth it to set the price of an obvious weakening of the combat capabilities of black sea fleet, withdrawing from him the few remaining in the ranks of modern attack ships? With all the continuously growing problems around the Crimea and Ukraine? Despite the fact that the black sea fleet on its decks now dragged almost the brunt of the Syrian war?
The answer is: the transfer of “Serpukhov” and “Green Dollars” from the Black sea to the Baltic, though forced, but completely justified step of the General staff. In the event of a military conflict over Crimea assistance to the defense of the Peninsula we are able in minutes to provide with Cuban airfields. In addition, the waters of the Black sea to the Bosphorus sweep through divisions “Bal” and “Bastion-P” 11th (Anapa) and 15th (Sevastopol) separate missile artillery brigade’s black sea fleet.
With regard to the blows of precision weapons to the terrorists in Syria, then, as experience shows, they are quite efficient and from the Caspian sea exactly the same, “Buyan-M”. Although, of course, blows out require a long and difficult diplomatic negotiations.
A whole lot worse today around Kaliningrad. At least because in case of military conflict between NATO forces and their allies among the neutral countries until around the Russian enclave will be literally in all directions. In the military-political sense, Kaliningrad will turn into the fortress that can and should heroically to defend, but to defend non-nuclear weapons very difficult. Or even impossible.
To see this, it suffices to analyze the last two years has changed the scale and nature of the international exercises BALTOPS, which are held annually in the Baltic sea. If they were, mainly, the counter-terrorism nature, but in 2015 everything radically changed.
Now the management of these annual exercises is from Naples, where is the command of the 6th U.S. fleet, responsible for Europe and Africa. Involvement of large joints sweeping forces to the openings of the passages in the minefields and the subsequent landing on the coast, very similar to what near Kaliningrad, – just that and were busy participants in BALTOPS-2015 and BALTOPS-2016.
Moreover, in 2015 the Marines were landed at the same time with the British amphibious helicopter carrier Ocean, the American landing ship dock San Antonio, Polish landing ships Lublin and Gniezno. In the same year to maneuver the was first involved strategic bombers b-52 and struck a high-precision Tomahawk cruise missiles from the cruiser of the U.S. Navy and Vicksburg the American destroyer Jason Dunham.
In 2016, another multinational exercise BALTOPS were on a larger scale. In this summer maneuvers near Kaliningrad took part more than 4,500 military personnel from 15 countries-members of the Alliance (and also Sweden and Finland), 60 aircraft, helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicles. In the Gulf of Finland for the first time since the Second world war was marked by a German submarine.
No imagination is not enough to imagine that this is not a preparation for the seizure of the Russian enclave, and something that absolutely does not concern Russia. Quite naturally on this in the days when over the Baltic sea BALTOPS rumbled in 2016, responded the Minister of foreign Affairs of Russia Sergey Lavrov: “We do not deny that we have causes a negative line ratio of NATO to the promotion of military infrastructure to our borders, the involvement in military activities of the bloc of other States. And then it will enter into force on the Russian sovereign right to ensure its security by methods that are adequate for the risks today.”
What are the methods chosen Moscow? From 1 April 2016 in the Kaliningrad region recreated disbanded when the sad memory of the Minister of defense Anatoly Serdyukov 11th army corps, which if necessary can now be quickly deployed in a combined-arms army.
A few days ago from port of Ust-Luga to Kaliningrad by rail, road and ferry to the West demonstratively deployed operational-tactical missile complex “Iskander”. For a while or forever — the Ministry of defense of Russia while pretending that it is debatable.
Since 2012 in the field of military duty are anti-aircraft missile system s-400. In addition to the s-300 that stood here previously.
In short, Russia is also keenly preparing for the worst. Most difficult such training was through the fleet. Because new vehicles in stock at the Ministry of defence no. Is on the way, and finished there. Especially sad that there are those that are particularly needed in this situation — with cruise missiles “Caliber”, capable of hitting naval targets long before they even get close to the Baltic Straits from the Atlantic ocean.
Probably the senior military leadership of Russia at the time, dangerously underestimated the complexity of the situation in the Baltic sea area. Either way — could be a long time to transfer to Baltiysk, for example, the same “Buyan-M” from the Caspian sea (“Grad svijazhsk”, “Uglich”, “Velikiy Ustyug”). But now to talk about it?
That had the gap in the defense of the Baltic sea urgent plugging just begun to settle on the black sea fleet MRK “Serpukhov” and “Green Vale”. Next year in Zelenodolsk going to finish sixth “Buyan-M” — “Vishny Volochek”. It also created for the black sea fleet. But it is possible — now sent to the Baltic.
If this happens, a new brigade of missile ships of the Baltic fleet still has not yet come. But in a separate division would be like. With a combined volley at 24 “Caliber-NK”. Something to frighten NATO.
