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U.S. INTELLIGENCE GATHERING SHIP ENTERS SEVASTOPOL HARBOR
RIA Novosti
13:09 | 16/ 09/ 2008
SEVASTOPOL, September 16 (RIA Novosti) - The U.S. Pathfinder ship
entered on Tuesday the Sevastopol harbor that is home to the Ukrainian
navy and Russia's Black Sea Fleet (Image gallery), a Russian naval
source said.
"This is the second planned visit of Pathfinder at the invitation of
Ukraine in the past 10 days," the source said.
USNS Pathfinder (T-AGS 60) is an oceanographic survey ship owned by
the Military Sealift Command and has a civilian crew and scientists
on board.
According to official statements, Pathfinder is searching for a ship
which sank in the harbor during World War II.
The Soviet hospital ship Armenia was sunk on November 7, 1941 by
German torpedo-carrying He 111 planes while the ship was evacuating
refugees and wounded military and staff from Crimean hospitals. It
is estimated that approximately 7,000 people died in the attack.
However, Russian intelligence believes that ships of the Pathfinder
class could be used for reconnaissance and intelligence gathering
purposes.
"We have reliable information confirming that the [Pathfinder] ship has
arrived in the Black Sea primarily to conduct intelligence gathering
operations in support of the NATO naval task group currently deployed
in the area," the source said.
Russian intelligence experts suspect that the ship may be carrying
surveillance equipment that could survey the depths and the condition
of the sea shelf and monitor the movement of submerged submarines at
a distance of up to 100 km (over 60 miles).
Russia is seriously concerned over the increased presence of NATO
naval forces near its main naval base in the Black Sea, which hosts
at least 50 warships and smaller vessels, along with 80 aircraft.
The base has been a source of friction between Russia and Ukraine in
recent years, as Ukraine's pro-Western President Viktor Yushchenko has
sought NATO and EU membership for the country and demanded that the
Black Sea Fleet must leave the base after a bilateral lease agreement
expires in 2017.
NATO sent at least five warships, including guided missile frigates,
into the Black Sea after Russia completed its operation "to force
Georgia to peace" on August 12.
The operation came as a response to Georgia's attack on South Ossetia
on August 8.
Western nations criticized Russia's counterattack as excessive and
also condemned Moscow's August 26 recognition of South Ossetia and
Abkhazia as independent states. Russia and NATO froze cooperation
over the Georgia crisis.
Russia has blamed Western powers for encouraging Tbilisi's aggression
and criticized the alliance for building up forces in the Black Sea
and helping Georgia to re-arm in the conflict zone.
NATO announced on September 10 that its naval task force in the Black
Sea, which consisted of Spanish, German, U.S. and Polish frigates,
was leaving the region in accordance with international agreements.
RIA Novosti
13:09 | 16/ 09/ 2008
SEVASTOPOL, September 16 (RIA Novosti) - The U.S. Pathfinder ship
entered on Tuesday the Sevastopol harbor that is home to the Ukrainian
navy and Russia's Black Sea Fleet (Image gallery), a Russian naval
source said.
"This is the second planned visit of Pathfinder at the invitation of
Ukraine in the past 10 days," the source said.
USNS Pathfinder (T-AGS 60) is an oceanographic survey ship owned by
the Military Sealift Command and has a civilian crew and scientists
on board.
According to official statements, Pathfinder is searching for a ship
which sank in the harbor during World War II.
The Soviet hospital ship Armenia was sunk on November 7, 1941 by
German torpedo-carrying He 111 planes while the ship was evacuating
refugees and wounded military and staff from Crimean hospitals. It
is estimated that approximately 7,000 people died in the attack.
However, Russian intelligence believes that ships of the Pathfinder
class could be used for reconnaissance and intelligence gathering
purposes.
"We have reliable information confirming that the [Pathfinder] ship has
arrived in the Black Sea primarily to conduct intelligence gathering
operations in support of the NATO naval task group currently deployed
in the area," the source said.
Russian intelligence experts suspect that the ship may be carrying
surveillance equipment that could survey the depths and the condition
of the sea shelf and monitor the movement of submerged submarines at
a distance of up to 100 km (over 60 miles).
Russia is seriously concerned over the increased presence of NATO
naval forces near its main naval base in the Black Sea, which hosts
at least 50 warships and smaller vessels, along with 80 aircraft.
The base has been a source of friction between Russia and Ukraine in
recent years, as Ukraine's pro-Western President Viktor Yushchenko has
sought NATO and EU membership for the country and demanded that the
Black Sea Fleet must leave the base after a bilateral lease agreement
expires in 2017.
NATO sent at least five warships, including guided missile frigates,
into the Black Sea after Russia completed its operation "to force
Georgia to peace" on August 12.
The operation came as a response to Georgia's attack on South Ossetia
on August 8.
Western nations criticized Russia's counterattack as excessive and
also condemned Moscow's August 26 recognition of South Ossetia and
Abkhazia as independent states. Russia and NATO froze cooperation
over the Georgia crisis.
Russia has blamed Western powers for encouraging Tbilisi's aggression
and criticized the alliance for building up forces in the Black Sea
and helping Georgia to re-arm in the conflict zone.
NATO announced on September 10 that its naval task force in the Black
Sea, which consisted of Spanish, German, U.S. and Polish frigates,
was leaving the region in accordance with international agreements.