Posted on 07/10/2012 3:56:27 PM PDT by PapaBear3625
Two destroyers and three amphibious landing vessels carrying marines set sail from Russian bases in the Arctic and the Black Sea, according to Russian military sources.
Russia's defence ministry insisted that the mission was part of a previously scheduled exercise in the Atlantic, Mediterranean and Black Sea and at least one of the vessels in the flotilla has patrolled waters off Syria earlier this year.
But Western diplomats say the purpose of the mission is to show tangible support for Mr Assad, to warn the West against military intervention in Syria and to prepare for the possible evacuation of Russian nationals from the country.
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
As a former KGB, he probably knows far better than most Westerners how crazy the jihadis are.
And how to deal with them. Remember when Hezbollah kidnapped and killed the KGB station chief in Lebanon? The KGB found the kidnappers, killed them in a special way (not going to post), and then killed all of their families and friends.
Ivan hasn't had trouble from Hezbollah or Hamas since.
5.56mm
Thunder stop listening to the conspiracy websites. China is not sending troops. The same conspiracy drivel websites also has Iranian Navy and troops exercising with the Russian and Chinese. The reports of this mass exercise are bogus. The only thing that is happening is a Russian deployment and exercise.
The aircraft carrier Kuznetsov is still in Severomorsk. The claims of the Admiral Chabanenko by the Turkish opposition Minister were also bogus as at the time the only Russian Navy vessel deployed in Syria was the Floating Workshop PM-138. The Admiral Chabanenko left Severomorsk on the 10 July and is with the other Northern Fleet elements currently in the Norwegian Sea.
How long would that take?
Edcoil,
The Northern and Baltic Fleet elements will transit through the Strait of Gibraltar. Exactly the same as the Russian Aircraft Carrier Task Group that went into and left the Mediterranean during late 2011 and early 2012. The Black Sea element is through the Bosphorus/Turkish Straits
Currently the Black Sea elements is at the following location in the Mediterranean. The Russian Navy Auxiliary Vessels send Morse Code weather bulletins every six hours. Included in that international weather report is the latitude and longitude, heading and speed. I can pick up the Morse Code from the various Task Force elements here in the UK.
13th July, 18 GMT - Position and heading info stripped out from the Morse Code weather transmission.
RCV = Sevastopol Black Sea Fleet Headquarters
RCJE = Russian Navy vessel
8345 Kilohertz
8345 RCV DE RCJE 13181 99340 10310 22222 @ 1811Z
34.0N 31.0E Heading East at 6-10 Knots
Map Link for Russian Navy vessel position
The Northern Fleet element is currently in the Norwegian Sea moving southwards
RIT = Severomorsk Northern Fleet Headquarters
RAL48 = Russian Navy vessel
8345 Kilohertz 13th July, 18 GMT
8345 RIT DE RAL48 13181 99657 10064 22252 @1837Z
65.7N 06.4E Heading South West at 6-10 Knots
Map Link for Russian Navy vessel position
The Baltic Fleet element was last noted preparing to exit the Baltic and into the North Sea.
8345 Kilohertz 13th July, 12 GMT
RMP = Kaliningrad Baltic Fleet Headquarters
RBES = Russian Navy vessel
8345 RMP DE RBES 13121 99546 10112 22270 @1224Z
54.6N 11.2E Heading North West Speed 0 Knots or not reported
Map Link for Russian Navy vessel position
The following link details the Russian Navy vessels involved in the Task Force.
Link to Rus Navy Task Force info
The Russian Navy still makes extensive use of Morse Code. Most of it is used to set up secure High Frequency links but during these deployments Auxiliary vessels are assigned to be weather ships. This use of the Auxiliary vessels as weather ships is further evidence that this is not a combat deployment. All these types of transmission would not be sent in the open if it was some sort of combat deployment.
The same hype surrounded the Admiral Kuznetsov Task Force deployment during late 2011 and early 2012. They will simply exercise and return within a couple of months. Three months is the anticipated schedule. The Northern Fleet and Baltic fleet elements will likely refuel and replenish stocks in Spain? (Ceuta). The same as elements of the last Task Force. Further evidence that this is not a combat deployment if it is going to dock in a NATO nations Spanish port.
The M/V Alaed,the ship that was noted carry Hind attack helicopters for Syria, is also under way and currently in the Norwegian Sea heading south. It will likely tag along with the Task Force and into the Mediterranean?
Hope that helps and I'll keep the thread updated with any further Morse position info that I pick up.
I guess we were right that Turkey controls it since 1936 but never heard the term. Just curious, did you know that your look it up and if you knew it, how?
I guess we were right that Turkey controls it since 1936 but never heard the term. Just curious, did you know that yourself or look it up and if you knew it, how?
The latest positions of two of the Task Force vessels from this hour 00 GMT.
14th July, 00 GMT - Black Sea Fleet Vessel - Morse Code
8345 Kilohertz
8345 RCV DE RCJE 14001 99340 10317 22222 @0002Z
34.0N 31.7E Heading East at 6-10 Knots
Map Link for Russian Navy vessel position
14th July, 00 GMT - Northern Fleet Vessel - Morse Code
8345 Kilohertz
8345 RIT DE RAL48 14001 99659 10050 22252 @0008Z
65.9N 05.0E Heading South West at 6-10 Knots
14th July, 12 GMT - Black Sea Fleet element nearing Syrian waters.
12464 RCV DE RCJE 14121 99342 10342 22222 @1214Z
34.2N 34.2E Heading East at 6-10 Knots
Map Link for Russian Navy vessel position
14th July, 12 GMT - Baltic Sea Fleet element about to enter the North Sea.
8345 RMP DE RBES 14121 99578 10096 22253 @1210Z
57.8N 09.6E Heading South West at 11-15 Knots
Map Link for Russian Navy vessel position
14th July, 12 GMT - Northern Fleet element making progress off Norway.
12464 RIT DE RAL48 14121 99642 10027 222?? @1217Z
64.2N 02.7E
8345 RCV DE RCJE 15001 99347 10347 22222 @0006Z
34.7N 34.7E Heading East at 6-10 Knots
18th July, 06 GMT - Positional information stripped out from Morse Code weather transmission
8345 Kilohertz
RIT DE RKO81 18061 99548 10125 22253 @0605Z
54.8N 12.5E Heading South West at 11-15 Knots
Map Link for Russian Navy vessel position
Elements of the Black Sea Fleet Task Force have visited Cyprus. Destroyer Smetlivy and tug.
Syria-Bound Helicopters Unloaded at Russian PortMOSCOW Three refurbished Russian attack helicopters have been removed from the Alaed, a transport ship that was delivering them to Syria, the Russian news agency Interfax reported Friday. Interfax quoted an unnamed source saying that the trio of Mi-25 helicopters had been offloaded at the port of Baltiisk, in the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad on the Baltic Sea. Three helicopters were unloaded from the Alaed during a brief stay at Baltiisk. The helicopters are likely to be moved to the 150th Aircraft Repair Plant in the town of Lyublino-Novoye outside Kaliningrad, where they will be kept, pending other decisions, the source told Interfax.
The Interfax report did not say when the helicopters had been removed from the ship. Earlier reports indicated that the Alaed had departed Baltiisk on July 18, sailing in a northwestern direction. The ships owner told Interfax that the ship would sail to St Petersburg, where it would take on additional cargo, and then continue on to the Far East. Last week Russia said it would freeze arms sales and deliveries to Syria while the conflict there escalates.
ABC Link - Syria bound helicopter unloaded at Russian port
Elements of the Task Force continue to head towards the Mediterranean. Baltic Fleet Tanker Lena has transited the English Channel and is heading into the Bay of Biscay/Atlantic.
Positional information stripped out of Morse Code weather broadcast, 22nd July, 12 GMT.
12464 RIT/RIW/RMP DE RKO81 22121 99467 70075 22253 @1222Z
46.7N 07.5W Heading South West at 11-15 Knots
Sounds like the Russians are losing faith that Assad can survive.
Russian Navy Baltic and Northern Fleet elements have now passed through the Strait of Gibraltar and into the Mediterranean. Positional info from the Morse Code weather transmissions.
25th July, 06 GMT
Tanker Lena
8345 Kilohertz
RMP DE RKO81 25061 99358 70049 22233 @0622Z
35.8N 04.9W Heading South East at 11-15 Knots
Map Link for Russian Navy vessel position
One Black Sea Fleet vessel is returning to the Black Sea
8345 Kilohertz
RCV DE RCJE 25001 99389 10253 22282
38.9N 25.3E Heading North at 6-10 Knots
Map Link for Russian Navy vessel position
The Floating Workshop PM-139 has moved from Tartus, Syria to a position off Cyprus. The move to this position off Cyprus has been noted before. Sometimes used for vessels on route to the Black Sea. Sometimes they return back to Tartus after being hove to at this position.
7763 Kilohertz
RCV DE RBIZ 25001 99359 10349 22200
35.9N 34.9E Hove to
Russian naval unit to continue mission in Mediterranean without Black Sea Fleet shipsRussian Black Sea Fleet ships have completed their mission in the Mediterranean as part of an inter-fleet unit including also ships from the Northern and Baltic Fleets, and the unit will continue its mission in the area under a joint command, the Navy Main Staff told Interfax-AVN on Saturday.
"The crews of the destroyer Smetlivy and the landing ships Tsezar Kunikov and Nikolai Filchenkov have completed their combat mission in the Mediterranean," a Navy Main Staff spokesperson said.
The Navy Main Staff had told Interfax-AVN earlier on Saturday that the Tsezar Kunikov and the Nikolai Filchenkov had returned to their base at the Sevastopol port on Saturday morning, and the Smetlivy was in the Sea of Marmara and was expected to reach Sevastopol on Sunday to take part in the final phase of a naval parade marking Navy Day.
The inter-fleet unit will continue performing its duties in the Mediterranean until it receives a special instruction from the Main Staff. "It was planned that the units of ships from the three fleets will meet in the Mediterranean at the end of July to jointly perform emerging tasks. However, this task is no longer relevant," he said.
LinkAt least two vessels of the Baltic Fleet Task Force element have left the Mediterranean.
Tanker Lena position from the Morse Code weather transmission, 28th July on 8345 Kilohertz
RMP DE RKO81 28181 99372 70095 22273 @1802Z
37.2N 09.5W Heading North West at 11-15 Knots
Map Link for Russian Navy vessel position
Unidentified vessel position from the Morse Code weather transmission, 28th July on 8345 Kilohertz
RMP DE RBES 28061 99362 70072 22263 @0602Z
36.2N 07.2W Heading West at 11-15 Knots
Map Link for Russian Navy vessel position
The Floating Workshop PM-138 remains at Tartus, Syria. Position from Morse Code weather transmission, 28th July on 7763 Kilohertz
RCV DE RBIZ 28181 99349 10358 22200 @1806Z
34.9N 35.8E Hove to Tartus, Syria
Map Link for Russian Navy vessel position
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