Posted on 08/31/2008 8:17:18 AM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
MOSCOW, August 29 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's Black Sea Fleet is capable of destroying NATO's naval strike group currently deployed in the sea within 20 minutes, a former fleet commander said on Friday.
Russia's General Staff said on Tuesday there were 10 NATO ships in the Black Sea - three U.S. warships, the Polish frigate General Pulaski, the German frigate FGS Lubeck, and the Spanish guided missile frigate Admiral Juan de Borbon, as well as four Turkish vessels. Eight more warships are expected to join the group.
"Despite the apparent strength, the NATO naval group in the Black Sea is not battle-worthy," Admiral Eduard Baltin said. "If necessary, a single missile salvo from the Moskva missile cruiser and two or three missile boats would be enough to annihilate the entire group."
"Within 20 minutes the waters would be clear," he said, stressing that despite major reductions, the Black Sea Fleet still has a formidable missile arsenal.
However, Baltin said the chances of a military confrontation between NATO and Russia in the Black Sea are negligible.
"We will not strike first, and they do not look like people with suicidal tendencies," he said.
In addition to its flagship, the Moskva guided missile cruiser, Russia's Black Sea Fleet includes at least three destroyers, two guided missile frigates, four guided missile corvettes and six missile boats.
NATO announced its decision to deliver humanitarian aid to Georgia after the conclusion of hostilities between Tbilisi and Moscow over breakaway South Ossetia on August 12. Moscow recognized on Tuesday both South Ossetia and Abkhazia, another breakaway Georgia republic, despite being urged by Western leaders not to do so.
Russia's General Staff later said the alliance's naval deployment in the Black Sea "cannot fail to provoke concern", with unidentified sources in the Russian military saying a surface strike group was being gathered there.
According to Russian military intelligence sources, the NATO warships that have entered the Black Sea are between them carrying over 100 Tomahawk cruise missiles and Harpoon anti-ship missiles.
Ah, delusions of grandeur.
More like delusions of adequacy.
Does Turkey maintain a naval base within the Black Sea?
This decent into madness sure has been expediant. It must be the mental illness brought on by the bleak landscape.
Gawd forbid a reporter just go to wikipedia, add up the complement of the publicly-displayed ships McFaul, Dallas, etc and get the same number, publicly, freely, from the evil West's free-press side rather than "russian sources."
The real question here...is in this twenty minute period that the Russians like to dream about....how many Russian ships would go to the bottom of the Black Sea before the NATO ships? I’m thinking a ratio of five to one...maybe even seven to one. The entire Russian fleet might be sitting on the bottom of the sea in a matter of twenty minutes. If I were a Russian desk jockey....I’d think long and hard over what I’m talking about.
Baghdad Bob, is that you?
If Poland invaded Turkey from the rear would Greece help ?
If I were a Russian desk jockey....I'd know that I could talk whatever talk I wanted and his partners in NATO would allow him the freedom to yank as many chains as he wanted all day long without fear of precipitating an actual confrontation.
Ivan's not stupid, and he knows exactly what he can get away with.
Yep. That is a very good question. Why is Russia making so much noise? Just as if they want the entire world to "look over here."
It could be a distraction from something else or it is intended to create an atmosphere of fear to prevent any other country from initiating any action in that general region.
Then jump froggie!
They’d bring the lube.
Unfortunately for Russia, we could destroy their ships in 5-7 minutes.....
Too bad for them....
An attack on a USN vessel is considered a declaration of war (Tonkin). The question is, how would we respond?
They have discovered the yellow streak running down the spine of the Western Europeans, I stress Western Europe. I just finished an article that claims Europe will NOT seek sanctions against Russia next week. I say we pull NATO from Brussels and move all NATO bases East to where “the men are”. I am adding a second fuel oil tank and buying a wood stove for this winter just in case. I am also working on a 6 month food supply to help my family through the tough times ahead. Russia will use its new ENERGY weapon to force its intentions on Europe and the world.
Careful. Turkey might like it.
I will take that as a “yes”.
I was just wondering if our ships there now would be
able to avail themselves of Turkish refueling assets.
No, but I think they have some on the Turkish shore.
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