Hindu Times

Joint naval games will enhance stability: Russia
By Vladimir Radyuhin
MOSCOW APRIL 5. Indo-Russian joint naval games in the Indian Ocean will enhance
stability in the region and strengthen cooperation between the countries, the Russian
Defence Ministry said today.
Russia will shortly dispatch nine warships of the Pacific and Black Sea fleets to the
Indian Ocean for joint training with the Indian Navy, the RIA Novosti news agency said
quoting the press service of the Russian Defence Ministry. It will be the largest naval
deployment in the Indian Ocean after the break-up of the Soviet Union and the first joint
war games by the Indian and Russian navies.
"The coming exercise will play a major role in strengthening cooperation, trust and
mutual understanding between the two nations and in enhancing stability in the Indian
Ocean,'' the Russian Defence Ministry said. The two navies will practice "interaction in
achieving a wide range of tasks''.
Russia denied the naval games were linked to the war in Iraq.
``We planned a joint naval exercise with our strategic partner, India, long before the Iraq
crisis came to a head,'' Mr. Ivanov told reporters on Friday. He said the Russian warships
had no plans to enter the Persian Gulf.
The Black Sea Fleet is sent to the Indian Ocean its flagship, the missile cruiser Moskva,
two patrol boats, a large landing ship, as well as auxiliary ships. The Pacific Fleet will
despatch two large anti-submarine destroyers and a tanker. A media report said at least
three Russian nuclear submarines armed with nuclear-tipped missiles would also be
deployed in the Indian Ocean. The Russian Defence Minister today refused to confirm or
deny the report.
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The Russian Defense Ministry is preparing to send warships to the Arabian Sea, the
Nezavisimaya Gazeta newspaper reports.

According to it, Russian ships will arrive to the Arabian Sea in late April. The official
aim of the campaign is to carry out military and naval military exercises there, “according
to an agreement with India”. However, it seems that this explanation does not reveal the
true goals of the campaign. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov has said recently that
the timeframe of the campaign would depend on the situation in Iraq.

According to the newspaper, two scenarios are possible. The first one envisages the
occupation of an important onshore facility by marines. Quoting an army general, the
Nezavisimaya Gazeta reports that it might be the oil terminals of Umm Qasr. This action,
resembling a quick seizure of Pristina at the end of the Yugoslavian war, might affect the
alignment of forces in the post-war Iraq. However, the battle group is not enough strong
for this purpose. It will have only one landing ship capable of carrying 150 marines and
10 tanks.

The second scenario envisages a “battle” with an enemy air force. Speaking in Munich in
February 2003, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov said that the battle group would
comprise “about ten warships, including submarines and large landing ships”.

In the light of new information, it becomes clear that there will be at least three nuclear
submarines in the battle group. It will be like an iceberg, with the main firepower hidden
underwater.

According to the newspaper, the ships of the Black Sea battle group, comprised of the
Moscow cruiser, the large landing ship Caesar Kunikov and two frigates, will leave the
Black Sea post of Sebastopol in five or seven days. Ten to twelve days later, the ships
will arrive to the war zone. In early May, another three warships of the Pacific Fleet will
join them.

Thus, the Russian Defense Ministry expects that the situation in the Middle East will
change dramatically by late April, which might require interference from Russia, the
Nezavisimaya Gazeta concludes.


 http://www.iraqwar.ru/iraq-read_article.php?articleId=1880〈=en