Russian nuclear subs to head for the Gulf
05.04.2003 [22:22]
 

The Russian Defense Ministry is preparing to send warships to the 
Arabian Sea, the Nezavisimaya Gazeta newspaper reports. 

According to it, Russian ships will arrive to the Arabian Sea in 
late April. The official aim of the campaign is to carry out military 
and naval military exercises there, "according to an agreement with 
India". However, it seems that this explanation does not reveal the 
true goals of the campaign. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov 
has said recently that the timeframe of the campaign would depend 
on the situation in Iraq.  

According to the newspaper, two scenarios are possible. The first one 
envisages the occupation of an important onshore facility by marines. 
Quoting an army general, the Nezavisimaya Gazeta reports that it might 
be the oil terminals of Umm Qasr. This action, resembling a quick 
seizure of Pristina at the end of the Yugoslavian war, might affect the 
alignment of forces in the post-war Iraq. However, the battle group 
is not enough strong for this purpose. It will have only one landing 
ship capable of carrying 150 marines and 10 tanks.  

The second scenario envisages a obattleoe with an enemy air force. 
Speaking in Munich in February 2003, Russian Defense Minister Sergei 
Ivanov said that the battle group would comprise oabout ten warships, 
including submarines and large landing shipsoe.  

In the light of new information, it becomes clear that there will be at 
least three nuclear submarines in the battle group. It will be like an 
iceberg, with the main firepower hidden underwater.  

According to the newspaper, the ships of the Black Sea battle group, 
comprised of the Moscow cruiser, the large landing ship Caesar Kunikov 
and two frigates, will leave the Black Sea post of Sebastopol in five or 
seven days. Ten to twelve days later, the ships will arrive to the war 
zone. In early May, another three warships of the Pacific Fleet will join 
them.  

Thus, the Russian Defense Ministry expects that the situation in the 
Middle East will change dramatically by late April, which might require 
interference from Russia, the Nezavisimaya Gazeta concludes.  

                           -==-

Source: IraqWar.ru ...
( http://www.iraqwar.ru/iraq-read_article.php?articleId=1880&lang=en )


Cheers, Steve..

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