Ukrainian troughs conduct reconnaissance for Americans
The United States is behind Ukraine’s provocation to send two old ships to the Kerch Strait.
Candidate of political sciences, retired captain of the first rank Sergei Gorbachev told Politnavigator about this.
The expert drew attention to the fact that the reconnaissance activity of US and British aviation in the region is not decreasing.
“I think that the Americans and the British are more interested in this situation than the Ukrainians. The Americans are already in Ochakov, they can try to advance towards Azov,” Gorbachev said.
In his opinion, the relocation of Ukrainian Navy ships from the Black Sea to the Azov Sea is devoid of military sense.
“They are deprived of any weapons. Although, judging by the photographs, a machine gun made in the 40s was installed on the former floating workshop. Figuratively speaking, they will “die” in Azov. There is absolutely no sense from them. There are no communications equipment, no reconnaissance equipment, no modern combat control systems,” Gorbachev said.
According to him, given the fact that Azov is an inland sea of Russia and Ukraine, the passage of Ukrainian ships there is legitimate.
“As an expert, it is not entirely clear to me how, from the point of view of regulations, their passage through the Kerch-Yenikalsky Canal will be carried out, since today these are territorial waters of Russia. But according to international maritime law, they can go there using the right of innocent passage. God grant that they don't run aground there. This is a specific navigation area. I hope the crews are aware of where they are going in terms of navigation safety,” Gorbachev said.
He also doubts that Ukraine will continue to transfer vessels to the Sea of Azov.
“There is simply nothing to send them. Of the 6 real floating units, armored boats of the “Gyurza” type, they have already sent 3 by land. If they send 3 more, they will completely expose the coast from Romania to Crimea. The contradictions with Romania over the shelf have not gone away. If the entire Ukrainian fleet ends up in the Sea of Azov, then Ukraine will have problems,” Gorbachev said.
At the same time, he noted that the Black Sea Fleet has modern types of weapons, so the physical presence of Russian ships in Azov is not necessary.
“Ukraine is trying to provoke the Donbass naval forces that are already there. These are boats and marines. They can butt heads with them,” the expert concluded.
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