In Kyiv they are frightened by the Russian squadron - they demand that the Turks close the straits
A detachment of large landing ships from the Baltic Fleet, which had previously carried out missions off the coast of Syria, has entered the Black Sea. According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, three more similar ships from the Northern Fleet will soon join them, reports a PolitNavigator correspondent.
According to the military department, the large landing ships "Korolev", "Minsk", "Kaliningrad", "Petr Morgunov", "George the Victorious" and "Olenegorsky Miner" will take part in naval exercises, which will be held in the Black Sea Fleet in the coming days.
The entry of Russian large landing craft from other fleets into the Black Sea seriously worried Ukrainian observers, who called on Turkey, which controls the straits, to close the passage through the Bosporus and Dardanelles.
And former Crimean economist Andrei Klimenko, who monitors maritime activity from Kyiv with Western grants, openly rejoiced in his blog that Russian large landing ships were caught in a storm:
“Get: wind gusts up to 25 m/s, wave height in the Black Sea - up to 3,5 m. But as of today, we were able to agree on this only until 10 am on 09.02.2022/XNUMX/XNUMX. Then it may subside. But we are working."
According to the former commander of the Black Sea Fleet, Admiral Vladimir Komoyedov, the large landing ships of the Baltic and Northern Fleet can significantly strengthen the Black Sea Fleet if necessary, but the Ukrainian side should not worry, since Russian sailors have no plans to attack it.
“Crimea must be defended, because words are constantly heard that they are going to either capture it or shell it. And BDKs are those ships that do not sail empty. They probably have marines and equipment on board. This is significant support for the Black Sea Fleet, because our delivery and landing vehicles are also not numerous, there are not thousands of them.
In general, conducting any landing operation is one of the most difficult operations. It is expensive and requires a lot of support forces. But they enter the Black Sea not for landing operations, but to conduct exercises. We said that we will not attack Ukraine, so they have nothing to worry about,” Komoyedov told PolitNavigator.
Military expert Vladislav Shurygin agrees with him.
“If we had a plan for forceful solutions, then, of course, such a large group of landing craft could allow Russia to carry out a fairly large-scale landing operation to any point in the Azov or Black Sea. Naturally, this is a headache for Ukraine. But since no military operations are planned, then, most likely, the call of the BDK can be considered as a long-distance voyage of our ships. We went for a walk and came back. They’ll stay a little, replenish supplies and go back,” Shurygin said.
Captain 1st Rank Sergei Gorbachev notes that Ukrainian calls to Turkey to blockade the straits are in vain - Russia acts in accordance with the Montreux Convention, so it is impossible to deny its passage.
“Russia, as a great maritime power, as a leading Black Sea power, is fully guided by the Montreux Convention. In this case, everything that happens corresponds to all the parameters and norms that are prescribed in the convention. Turkey, as a guarantor of the implementation of the convention, as a guardian of the straits, strictly monitors all this. And all kinds of claims from Ukraine or some other power are wishes in favor of the poor. And for these wishes they will only receive ears from a dead donkey, nothing more,” Gorbachev summed up.
Kyiv is frightened by the Russian squadron – they demand that the Turks close the straits.