John Kettler Posted August 12, 2019 Share Posted August 12, 2019 (edited) in late November of 2018, the Russians first fired upon, then seized by FSB Spec Ops, three Ukrainian vessels in the Kerch Straits. Because I was swept up in the non-stop whirlwind of a large family vacation (people driving or flying in from all over the country) and watched no TV at all, nor was on the Internet, I never knew this happened. Nor was I aware that war could easily have broken out and that Porochenko did declare martial law, but took no military action against Russia's naked Act of War. Probably just as well, given the extremely adverse Correlation of Forces. Believe it or not, I first learned something was supposedly going on in Ukraine involving a Russian attack in a TV show where an American is video dating a Ukrainian beauty who tells him she can't come meet him in Mexico because "the Russians have invaded" and "everything's shut down." The article has a picture of a bunch of Ukrainian tanks deployed near the Sea of Azov, the port of Mariupol, Ukrainian entrenchments and a war-damaged building.https://www.dailysignal.com/2018/11/26/on-the-brink-of-major-war-ukraine-grapples-with-russian-attack/ Regards, John Kettler Edited August 12, 2019 by John Kettler 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ikalugin Posted August 12, 2019 Share Posted August 12, 2019 (edited) 5 hours ago, John Kettler said: in late November of 2018, the Russians first fired upon, then seized by FSB Spec Ops, three Ukrainian vessels in the Kerch Straits. Because I was swept up in the non-stop whirlwind of a large family vacation (people driving or flying in from all over the country) and watched no TV at all, nor was on the Internet, I never knew this happened. Nor was I aware that war could easily have broken out and that Porochenko did declare martial law, but took no military action against Russia's naked Act of War. Probably just as well, given the extremely adverse Correlation of Forces. Believe it or not, I first learned something was supposedly going on in Ukraine involving a Russian attack in a TV show where an American is video dating a Ukrainian beauty who tells him she can't come meet him in Mexico because "the Russians have invaded" and "everything's shut down." The article has a picture of a bunch of Ukrainian tanks deployed near the Sea of Azov, the port of Mariupol, Ukrainian entrenchments and a war-damaged building.https://www.dailysignal.com/2018/11/26/on-the-brink-of-major-war-ukraine-grapples-with-russian-attack/ Regards, John Kettler Because the status of the waters is disputed and the presense of important infrastructure in the straits (the bridge) Russia set up the procedure to pass through the straits that included early announcement of intent, standing in que for the pilots, receiving pilots and so on. This is how Ukrainian ships (including combat boats) passed through the place. However Poroshenko apparently had some problems at home and thus ordered a provocation, as martial law (if he managed to pull it off) would have delayed the elections and so on. https://russiamil.wordpress.com/2019/01/07/the-kerch-strait-skirmish-a-law-of-the-sea-perspective/ May be of interest as the western expert view. Edited August 12, 2019 by ikalugin 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Kettler Posted August 13, 2019 Author Share Posted August 13, 2019 ikalugin, That was a useful and informative article. Seems to me a lot of grief could've been avoided had the Russians simply built the bridge either higher or made some sort of provision for a drawbridge, raisable section or what have you to allow unimpeded ship navigation. 50 hour delays seem obscene to me for merchant vessels, and while I get that the Russians are twitchy about their bridge (whose construction they did at breakneck speed, from what I recall), if they are flouting the rules regarding unimpeded passage of military vessels, then, in theory, that should be actionable. Regards, John Kettler 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt.Squarehead Posted August 13, 2019 Share Posted August 13, 2019 Alternatively they might have deliberately built the bridge that way as a great big '**** you!' to the Ukraine and their new western chums.....TBH I'd count on it. PS - The Russians were very serious indeed: That's the dainty little 'Harpoonalike' KH-35.....They have much bigger/faster ones for serious navies. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Kettler Posted August 13, 2019 Author Share Posted August 13, 2019 Sgt.Squarehead, That thought did cross my mind, and I certainly wouldn't reject your proposition out of hand. Since the Bal is on RT, that tells me the Russians are sending a strong message. Otherwise, they'd move at night, and RT would not only show nothing, but we wouldn't get so much as a whiff from Russian media or the government. Thanks for the vid! Regards, John Kettler 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ikalugin Posted August 13, 2019 Share Posted August 13, 2019 (edited) The bridge is fairly high (after all it needs to allow the navigation of Russian ships through the straits), the issue is with various Kiev Loyalist side actors discussing how it is either desirable to blow it up or how they are capable of doing so or how they plan to do it. Which lead to all the security measures around it. We have completed the rail line part of it as well. Bal and other AShM systems were in Crimea before then. Edited August 13, 2019 by ikalugin 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt.Squarehead Posted August 13, 2019 Share Posted August 13, 2019 (edited) 3 hours ago, ikalugin said: Bal and other AShM systems were in Crimea before then. I know.....But, as JK points out, they weren't driving around in view of RT cameras until the squabbling started. Edited August 13, 2019 by Sgt.Squarehead 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haiduk Posted August 15, 2019 Share Posted August 15, 2019 On 8/12/2019 at 6:02 AM, John Kettler said: I never knew this happened. Hеh! You have missed discussion about this incident, but because of political flame, the topic (which you started btw) was closed: 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Kettler Posted August 17, 2019 Author Share Posted August 17, 2019 Haiduk, Oh, the things I could accomplish (and messes avoid) if my memory went back to something resembling normal! My faint recollection was that the bridge wasn't finished when I made the now locked post. Is my chronology right? Regards, John Kettler 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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