Putin pledges measured response to NATO warships in the Black Sea

Putin pledges measured response to NATO warships in the Black Sea

en.rian.ru

MOSCOW, September 2 (RIA Novosti) - Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday Russia will respond calmly to the presence of NATO warships in the Black Sea. (Russia's Black Sea Fleet - Image gallery)

"Our response will be calm, not hysterical, but there will definitely be a response," Putin said.

NATO sent a number of ships, including U.S. warships, 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.

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Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin questioning the intentions of the U.S. naval fleet in Black Sea is quoted " Why is humanitarian aid is being delivered on naval vessels armed with the newest rocket system."

en.rian.ru
(visit the link for the full news article)

I think thats a dumb statement by him. The aid is being delivered via warships to ensure that the aid gets to where it is intended unimpeded.

Originally posted by L.HAMILTON


Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin questioning the intentions of the U.S. naval fleet in Black Sea is quoted " Why is humanitarian aid is being delivered on naval vessels armed with the newest rocket system."

en.rian.ru
(visit the link for the full news article)

I'm still not sure as to how Georgian soldiers wound up patrolling in armed Humvees if all that was brought to the country was aid.

... I mean, correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm quite sure you can't eat Humvees. The iron and lead content must be way too high for feasible consumption. (sarcasm).


It's not just aid those ships are delivering. Unfortunately, I don't think anyone's keeping their receipts.

But Russia wound up with some interesting American hardware they confiscated from Georgian soldiers. I guess everyone gets to enjoy the trade. Those Humvees will look pretty ironic running scout for the Russian heavy armor.

Originally posted by princeofpeace
I think thats a dumb statement by him. The aid is being delivered via warships to ensure that the aid gets to where it is intended unimpeded.

If the NATO ships were purely peaceful they would have no reason to be armed at all beyond the point of simple self-defence. Arming a peaceful ship on a peaceful mission with missile launchers and delivering Humvee's to the Georgians is asking to be shot at.

What humvees?
The Georgians had stored humvees in the port being sent back.
They were for training for the humvee's they would be using in Iraq.
And the Russians stole them.
They haven't dropped off more humvees that would be stupid because the Russians would just take them.

Originally posted by Interestinggg
What humvees?
The Georgians had stored humvees in the port being sent back.

Yeah, Humvee's with American hardware installed that captivated the interest of the Russians enough to confiscate them.

Why else would the Russians take the Humvee's if not to gain valuable hardware left in there by the Americans? If the Humvee's were indeed not delivered by NATO then why steal them? They would have been stripped of all the valuable hardware long before that.

[edit on 3/9/2008 by Kryties]