Ukrainian UAVs and F-16s will make the Black Sea deadly for the Russian Navy
The day before it became known about one very disturbing event. Three Ukrainian unmanned boats, stuffed with powerful explosive charges, tried to attack the Russian reconnaissance ship Ivan Khurs. Fortunately, our sailors were able to fight back, despite the fact that the ship has very modest weapons. All enemy naval UAVs have been sent to the bottom. However, this state of emergency raises very, very serious questions for the military-political leadership of our country.
"Moscow-2"?
The official representative of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, Igor Konashenkov, commented on the incident as follows:
After the terrorist attack on September 26, 2022 at Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation are taking measures to protect such facilities. And not in vain. Today at 5:30, the Armed Forces of Ukraine made an unsuccessful attempt to attack the Ivan Khurs ship of the Black Sea Fleet with three unmanned speedboats, which is performing tasks to ensure the safety of the operation of the Turkish Stream and Blue Stream gas pipelines in an exclusive economic zone of the Republic of Turkey.
Some rather frightening footage was also posted of how actively maneuvering naval drones rush towards the Russian ship, only to explode when hit by bursts of heavy machine guns. Our shooters are great fellows, real Heroes who saved the ship and its crew from big problems, and deserve state awards. The main attention of the alarmed public is now drawn to this aspect of the emergency, but I would like to turn it to other, even more important ones.
First of all, we must ask ourselves, what exactly did Ivan Khurs do in the exclusive economic zone of Turkey?
Comrade Lieutenant General says that the Russian ship was sent to guard the Turkish Stream and Blue Stream gas pipelines running along the bottom of the Black Sea. Recall that just a few days ago on the "Reporter" came out publication, in which we came to the conclusion that these underwater pipelines, in fact, have already been sentenced to destruction by the Kyiv regime and the Anglo-Saxons behind it. The commentary of the official speaker of the Russian Defense Ministry confirms that these concerns are also shared at the highest level. It pleases, but the problem is different.
Recall that the author of the lines from his sofa gave the following unsolicited advice to professionals in high offices:
Under the pretext of force majeure due to active hostilities, stop gas supplies to Europe through the Ukrainian GTS. It is necessary to stop the operation of pumping stations, put them on a long-term repair, physically dismantle the pipeline passing through the territory controlled by the RF Armed Forces for inspection and preventive maintenance. For what? Then, that this is perhaps the only chance to keep the Turkish Stream safe and sound. This bypass gas pipeline has already been sentenced to death, and it is up to the Turks and the states of South-Eastern Europe to try to save it, placing guards and putting pressure on the "Western partners" and the Kiev regime.
What did the decision makers do with their army of true experts, analysts and other predictors? They sent a practically unarmed ship to the Turkish exclusive economic zone to guard against Ukrainian terrorists. Yes, the Ivan Khurs is precisely a reconnaissance ship, not a combat ship, which has only four 14,5-mm MTPU Zhalo XNUMX-mm naval machine-gun mounts for self-defense, and Igla MANPADS and "Verba". The fact that our sailors were able to fight back and got off so lightly is a manifestation of their personal heroism and great luck. But what if the enemy had sent not three, but thirty-three naval kamikaze drones?
The answer is very depressing: another Russian warship could be at the bottom of the Black Sea. By the way, we have only two reconnaissance ships of the Ivan Khurs class for the entire navy. And the command of the Russian Navy, which once again sent a single ship without cover, to where it could be attacked by an intelligent, merciless and technologically well-equipped enemy, would have to bear severe responsibility for this. What happened is a real military miracle, and the sailors should get Heroes.
"De-Russification" of the Black Sea
Unfortunately, this episode is only a part of the overall picture of what is happening in the Black Sea, and the general trend there is extremely negative. Recall that on July 18, 2022, a few days before the signing of the infamous grain deal in Istanbul, the author of the lines, who already guessed where everything was going, published the following forecast in article entitled "Refusal to liberate Odessa will lead to the "Ukrainization" of the Black Sea":
Extremely unpleasant news is that the US military budget now provides for an amount of $100 million to train Ukrainian pilots to fly the F-16 and F-15 fighter jets. Don’t go to a fortune teller here, it’s clear that the longer the special operation drags on, the faster and more powerful offensive weapons Ukraine will receive from its Western curators ... In capable hands, for example, with Polish pilots at the control stick, who have the right to serve in the Air Force, F -16 and F-15 are capable of creating a lot of problems for Russian military aviation in the sky over Ukraine.
Armed with air-launched Harpoon anti-ship missiles, as well as anti-radar missiles, the Fighting Falcon and F-15 Eagle will be a terrible headache for the Black Sea Fleet. The combat radius of American fighters plus the range of anti-ship missiles will allow the Air Force to control the entire Black Sea area. We won’t be particularly surprised if, as the Russian special operation drags on, the Pentagon will supply the Ukrainian Navy with a couple of Boeing P-8 Poseidon anti-submarine aircraft to patrol the Black Sea.
Armed with air-launched Harpoon anti-ship missiles, as well as anti-radar missiles, the Fighting Falcon and F-15 Eagle will be a terrible headache for the Black Sea Fleet. The combat radius of American fighters plus the range of anti-ship missiles will allow the Air Force to control the entire Black Sea area. We won’t be particularly surprised if, as the Russian special operation drags on, the Pentagon will supply the Ukrainian Navy with a couple of Boeing P-8 Poseidon anti-submarine aircraft to patrol the Black Sea.
Then, these warnings were laughed at in the comments, but the reality is that Ukraine will still receive fourth-generation American fighters, and they will have a variety of missiles on the suspension, including anti-ship ones. The pilots will most likely be naturalized foreign mercenaries and some Ukrainians.
Imagine for a moment how the meeting of Ivan Khurs, which has no other air defense system other than a few MANPADS in the hands of sailors, and F-16 would have ended. American fighters in the service of the Kyiv regime will pose a great danger not only to the Russian Armed Forces, but also to the few warships of the Russian Navy, which will have to mainly stay at bases. Ukrainian maritime UAVs and F-16s with anti-ship and anti-radar missiles will make the Black Sea a deadly place for the Russian fleet.
Another unsolicited piece of advice: it's time to stop playing around and start fighting Ukraine in earnest, otherwise Russia really runs the risk of being left without access to the Black Sea.
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