Russian Border Patrol Ship Opens Fire on Chinese Poachers

The Moscow Times ^ | 18 July 2012 | Staff

[moonshot925]

A Russian border patrol ship in the Sea of Japan opened fire on a schooner poaching under the Chinese flag, a news report said Tuesday.

The crew of the Dzerzhinsky spotted the Chinese vessel Monday within Russia's exclusive economic zone and attempted to contact it, a border patrol spokesman told RIA-Novosti.

But the ship did not respond and attempted to escape, prompting a three-hour pursuit in which Russian border guards first fired warning shots, then collided with the vessel and fired on it directly as the crew of the schooner tried to resist being boarded by Russian troops.

[Svartalfiar]

Can you say RED ON RED?

Actually, Russia and China have long had issues with each other. Just because they're both commies doesn't mean they like each other. Try Googling Sino-Soviet relations and you'll see a long history of butting heads.

[jpsb]

It takes a frigate 3 hours to catch a schooner?

[al baby]

That aint a bad looking boat

[Revolting cat!]

Red Feliks ( the founder of Cheka) was a hero of Polish Communists. His statue on the Warsaw square once and now called the Bank Square was famously smeared with red paint (the hands), now removed from there, and the Poles are not too fond of him.

[rcrngroup]

Obama to come to the Chicoms aid in 3...2...1...

I wish so much that 0dumb0 had been on the Chinese schooner when it was intercepted by the Russian frigate. I mean, you know, to help resolve the conflict with his astute keen mind & crisp articulate decision making prowess. That's what I meant!

[Zhang Fei]

Some Chinese commentators are pretty unhappy at this turn of events:
http://www.morningwhistle.com/html/2012/PoliticsSociety_0717/213084.html

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Chinese netizens reacted fiercely to the issue on Sina Weibo,Chinese largest Twitter-like microblogging platform. Chinese government’s weak attitude towards diplomatic relations and foregn affairs has aroused domestic strong dissatisfaction and impatience. Voices arise to learn from Russia’s “tough” to settle neighbouring conflicts that have fluttered China successively in recent.

---

[cunning_fish]

I think they tried to solve this thing peacefully for that time. BTW, from a map it seems like a location of KAL007 downing, a pretty sensitive zone for Russian military.

[jpsb]

I have no problem with Russia, just curious why it took a frigate 3 hours to catch a two masted sailing vessel. the schooner probably has a top speed of 7 knots and can not sail into weather. I would think a frigate could catch a sail boat in less then 10 minutes.

[rmlew]

I believe that the Border Guards had their own Directorate in the old KGB.
Yep. Krivak III frigates were/are operated by them.

[jpsb]

Oh, ok, i get your point, 3 hours trying to resolve, not catch, yes you are probably correct.

[Oztrich Boy]

Not just the Krivak-IIIs

They had a navy http://russian-ships.info/eng/borderguard/.

[traumer]

GOOD