Russia sends a task force to the Persian Gulf

[Jakub]

http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/topstories/story/0,4386,165850,00.html

Funny how that didn't make CNN. Or BBC... hmm... CNN I can understand, BBC seems strange.

Anyone have confirmation of this?

Fixed the title from "fleet" to "task force"

[Brad Grenz]

Russia still has a fleet?

Seriously, I doubt we're going to see Russia shooting US planes out of the sky over this. The US will give defference to Russia's interests for political and diplomatic reasons, if nothing else.

The could be there to make sure a bunch of their wells don't get torched in the chaos too. Mostly I just think they believe it prudent to have a presence, whatever happens.

[voltaic]

Russia still has a fleet?

Jakub's title was misleading, Russia is only sending three ships, one of which is a tanker (logistics more than combat).

[Jason Becker]

"Russia still has a fleet? "



Sure, thats what they just sent to the gulf. :D

[Idar Thorvaldsen]

It was in the news over here, briefly.

The old Soviet navy never went away, it just rusted for some years. With Putin in power and the war in Chechnya, their armed forces have been getting funding again.

The fleet was sent down there to protect Russian interests in the event of a conflict, whatever that might mean. They probably won't get involved, but they probably want to get intelligence and some practice.

[Anonymous]

Well, most of the old Soviet Navy did go and rust away, and there's no way they could maintain funding for maintenance on all those vessels. Russia has realized that it had to scrap most of her ships, or just let them rust away. Or sell them to other countries, like the carrier it sold to India.

The last time the Russian Navy tried anything this ambitious was when it staged its largest naval excercise in years a few years ago. The result: the Kursk blew up.

Putin's been trying to shrink the size of the armed forces... conscript-laden armies full of poorly-trained, poorly-equipped, poorly-motivated soldiers are just too big and too money-sucking and useless. Witness just how effective their low-morale army was against the Chechens.

Anyway, two small surface combatants and a tanker aren't a threat to the multiple US Navy CVBG's that are going to be in the Gulf region. Any one of those CVBG's could swat that "fleet" out of existence with about 10 minutes effort and not break a sweat. Russia just wants to show the flag; it does have a lot of oil contracts with Iraq it wants to keep under the new regime.

[Idar Thorvaldsen]

Well, most of the old Soviet Navy did go and rust away... They kept the best parts though. For a while, however, nuclear-powered subs were lying just across the border from us, not being maintained at all. It's not that bad anymore.

Putin's been trying to shrink the size of the armed forces... conscript-laden armies full of poorly-trained, poorly-equipped, poorly-motivated soldiers are just too big and too money-sucking and useless. Witness just how effective their low-morale army was against the Chechens.
It's still very ineffective against the Chechens. It's an army with a lots of problems; over 2000 soldiers die outside of combat each year. But mostly. they don't starve any more.

Anyway, two small surface combatants and a tanker aren't a threat to the multiple US Navy CVBG's that are going to be in the Gulf region. Any one of those CVBG's could swat that "fleet" out of existence with about 10 minutes effort and not break a sweat. Russia just wants to show the flag; it does have a lot of oil contracts with Iraq it wants to keep under the new regime.
Heh. The Russian military commanders might be less than competent, but they're not suicidal. They might get involved to protect (evacuate) Russian citizens or shipping if things get out of hand.
Edit: Missed a quote tag for the last quote.

[Joe O'Malley]

Anyway, two small surface combatants and a tanker aren't a threat to the multiple US Navy CVBG's that are going to be in the Gulf region. Any one of those CVBG's could swat that "fleet" out of existence with about 10 minutes effort and not break a sweat. Russia just wants to show the flag; it does have a lot of oil contracts with Iraq it wants to keep under the new regime.

Why assume they are there to be a threat at all? They might just assist if things go South. I doubt it, but I seriously doubt Russia would have any reason to want a shooting war with the US.

[Derek Smart [3000AD]]

"Russia still has a fleet? "



Sure, thats what they just sent to the gulf. :D

LMAO!!! For some strange coffee induced reason, that sounded funnier than it probably is. But man, that was funny. :D

[Jason McCullough]

Did I mention how cravenly evil the Russians were in the Chechen war? Not that we can do anything about it.

[Idar Thorvaldsen]

Did I mention how cravenly evil the Russians were in the Chechen war? Not that we can do anything about it.

I think "senselessly cruel" is better than "cravenly evil", but: Were? It's not over, just because they took Grozny. Certain Chechen factions aren't any better, either.

[chet]

This could have something to do with it.

http://www.globeandmail.com/servlet/ArticleNews/PEstory/TGAM/20030121/URUSSM/International/international/international_temp/2/2/17/

[Jakub]

Gazprom?

Holy shit. We're talking serious Russian Mafia/Arms dealers/Russian Army connections/Russian Government crap.

That's a bad news company.

[voltaic]

Gazprom?

Holy shit. We're talking serious Russian Mafia/Arms dealers/Russian Army connections/Russian Government crap.

That's a bad news company.

I know I'm going to take a huge socio-political beating for saying it, but IMHO the only thing keeping Russia from dwindling into its own version of the dark ages is the Russian Mafia and Russian Military. They don't have a damn thing else over there right now.

[Jason McCullough]

So the nation would be in sheer anachy without the mafia? Interesting theory.

[voltaic]

So the nation would be in sheer anachy without the mafia? Interesting theory.

I especially liked the part how you took "dwindling into dark ages" to mean complete anarchy and how "mafia and military" to really just mean the mafia. I am so glad you took the time to expose those flaws in my briefly expressed opinion. I'm going to call mom right now and tell her she did a horrible job of raising me.

I said I expected to take heat for the post, but at least it could have been for what I actually wrote and not your bizarre strawman rehash.