Russia’s aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov sets off on long voyage to Mediterranean Sea

[Hindustani78]

https://sputniknews.com/military/201610221046616380-admiral-kuznetsov-syria-sky/

The Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier, currently en route to Syria, will hardly be involved in controlling airspace because there is already enough equipment on the ground, according to the Kremlin spokesman.

YUZHNO-SAKHALINSK (Sputnik) – Russian aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov is unlikely to be involved in exerting control over the skies over Syria, as there are enough instruments to defend government forces and Russian infrastructure, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Saturday.

"I do not think that it is necessary to keep somebody away, [or that] somebody can attack [the Syrian government forces] … as there are enough instruments to control the skies, to control the safety of our temporary infrastructure in Syria, which is why there is no such opportunity," Peskov told "Vesti v Subbotu" TV show.

On October 15, Russia's Northern Fleet’s press service said that a group of warships headed by the aircraft-carrying cruiser Admiral Kuznetsov accompanied by the Pyotr Veliky battle cruiser, the Severomorsk and Vice-Admiral Kulakov anti-submarine destroyer, and support vessels was sent to the Mediterranean to hold drills and strengthen capabilities.


From north to south, the markers point to Sevastopol, the Bosporus, and Tartus. Russia is outside the picture, off to the upper right. (Google Maps)

 

[Hindustani78]

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-syria-russia-destroyer-idUSKCN12S1XG
Russia on Friday despatched the naval destroyer Smetlivy to Syria to join its battle group there for a few months, Russian government daily Rossiiskaya Gazeta reported.

It said the heavily armed ship had left the Crimean port of Sevastopol on Friday to great fanfare.

Ruptly, a video news agency financed by the Russian government, said the ship would first head for the Greek port of Piraeus to take part in an event connected with the Russian-Greek year of culture.

Ruptly said the Smetlivy would depart Piraeus on Nov. 2.

(Reporting by Andrew Osborn; Editing by Polina Devitt)

 

[Hindustani78]

http://tass.com/defense/910120
MOSCOW, November 2. /TASS/. The voyage of the Russian aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov to the north-eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean Sea is ‘a show of the flag’ and also comes as part of the schedule to rotate troops, the chairman of the State Duma’s defense committee, Vladimir Shamanov, told Rossiya 1 television on Tuesday.

"The seamen have such a notion - ‘show of flag’. Let us consider this operation as ‘show of flag," he said.

"We have a rotation schedule there (in Syria). An aircraft grouping is approaching now, the arrival of other Naval groups is also planned when combat tasks will be trained," Shamanov said.

He expressed doubts that the Admiral Kuznetsov would be used in operations near Aleppo. "If intentions had been as such, there would have been at least two or three large landing ships in the group," he said in comments on media reports about a possible offensive on Aleppo with the participation of Russian military.

Earlier, British daily The Times maintained that Russia was allegedly preparing a large-scale offensive on Aleppo.

Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov has dismissed speculations by the British daily.

The Russian Northern Fleet’s aircraft carrier group began its voyage to the north-eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean Sea on October 15. According to data of the Northern Fleet’s press office, the group comprises the heavy aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov, the heavy nuclear-powered missile cruiser Pyotr Veliky, the large antisubmarine warfare ships Severomorsk and Vice-Admiral Kulakov and support vessels.

 

[Hindustani78]

Russia is sending its advanced Frigate Admiral Grigorovich armed with Kalibr cruise missiles to reinforce the aircraft carrier group near Syrian shores.

11:51 03.11.2016(updated 14:06 03.11.2016)
https://sputniknews.com/military/201611031047024502-admiral-grigorivich-syria-russia/



SEVASTOPOL (Sputnik) — Russia's Frigate Admiral Grigorovich armed with Kalibr cruise missiles will leave the port of Sevastopol to join the aircraft carrier group in Syria on Thursday, a source in Crimea's uniformed services told RIA Novosti. "The Black Sea Fleet's latest missile frigate Admiral Grigorovich leaves the base today and heads to the Mediterranean Sea, where it will join the group of Russian ships on the Syrian coast," the source said.

On October 15, Russia's Northern Fleet's press service said that a group of warships headed by the Admiral Kuznetsov accompanied by the Pyotr Veliky battle cruiser, the Severomorsk and Vice-Admiral Kulakov anti-submarine destroyer and support vessels had been sent to the Mediterranean to hold drills and strengthen capabilities.

In service since March 10, the Admiral Grigorovich is the first of six planned Project 11356 frigates, three of which are due to be delivered to the Defense Ministry by 2017. The frigate left the Baltic Fleet base in the western seaport town of Baltiysk in late April for Sevastopol. The trials of the Admiral Grigorovich-class frigates were successfully completed in the Barents Sea in late 2015. The frigates, displacing 3,850 tonnes, are designed for anti-ship and anti-submarine warfare as well as for air defense missions, operating both independently or as part of convoys and naval task forces.

Russia has been seeking to boost its naval presence in the Mediterranean. In October, Deputy Defense Minister Nikolai Pankov disclosed plans to set up a permanent base in the Eastern Mediterranean seaport of Syrian Tartus.

Tartus hosted the Russian Navy maintenance and support facility since 1977. Currently, the Tartus facility is the Russian Navy’s only support base in the Mediterranean Sea. It continues to perform its designated mission. The Tartus facility is currently manned exclusively by civilians.

 

[Hindustani78]

http://uatoday.tv/politics/russia-ready-to-strike-aleppo-militants-within-hours-media-801949.html

Recent moratorium on sorties for Russian aviation in Aleppo has reportedly ended

The Russian aircraft carrier "Admiral Kuznetsov" jets and the Northern Fleet vessels in the Mediterranian are getting ready to strike a blow upon the city of Aleppo, the Interfax agency reports, referring to its military sources.

"Admiral Kuznetsov's deck-based aviation and battleships armed with high-precision weapons are getting ready to strike blows upon to militants in the outskirts of Aleppo. The strikes will be dealt upon the distant outskirts of the city. Militants' attempts to break free from inside are senseless", the agency's source said.



Russian maritime aviation will also hold exercises near the Greek island of Rhodos on November 9th, the Greek authorities inform.

Russia has been providing air support for Syrian pro-government troops trying to recapture the rebel-held eastern part of Aleppo since September 19. According to the UN figures, Russian air strikes claimed at least several thousand civilian lives. France and Germany both called Russia's indiscriminate bombardments a war crime.

 

[Hindustani78]

Interfax news
November 12, 2016


22:04
Admiral Kuznetsov carrier-based aircraft flying daily sorties over Syrian

21:55
Russian Navy carrier group flies daily sorties off Syrian coast

 

[Hindustani78]

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-russia-jet-idUSKBN13922J
A Russian MiG-29 fighter jet from the Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier has crashed into the Mediterranean Sea, news agencies cited a defence ministry statement as saying on Monday.

They said the pilot was safe after ejecting from the plane. Flights by Russian military planes in the region had not been suspended.

Admiral Kuznetsov belongs to a naval group which Russia has deployed near Syria as part of its campaign against militants who are fighting government forces.

RIA news agency said the plane had crashed during a training flight, a few kilometres (miles) from the aircraft carrier, due to a technical fault.

Attacks by Russian and Syrian air forces on targets near Syria's second-largest city of Aleppo have been suspended for the past four weeks.

(Reporting by Vladimir Soldatkin; Editing by Richard Balmforth)

 

[500]

I was right. Sending untrained MiG-29K crews was bad idea.

 

[Hindustani78]

14:23 15.11.2016(updated 19:01 15.11.2016) Get short URL

207423925 Russian Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft-carrying cruiser has begun combat operations in Syria, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said Tuesday. "Today, we started a major operation to launch massive strikes on Daesh and al-Nusra Front targets in the Idlib and Homs provinces [in Syria]," Shoigu said at Russian President Vladimir Putin's meeting with the ministry’s leadership and defense enterprises.

"The Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrying cruiser began taking part in operations for the first time in the history of the Russian Navy. Our Su-33 aircraft began working from this cruiser today. Before this, we carried out very careful, thorough reconnaissance of all targets," Shoigu said.

According to the minister, the main targets include ammunition depots as well as plants producing weapons.

Shoigu also said that Russian naval task force in Syria is reliably protected by Bastion Coastal Defense Missile Systems and Pantsir systems.

On November 8, it was reported that Russian Navy's aircraft carrier group, which includes Russia's 'Admiral Kuznetsov' aircraft carrier, 'Pyotr Veliky' nuclear power guided missile cruiser and two destroyers, had completed its transfer to the Mediterranean Sea and group was getting ready to launch a strike targeting Daesh terrorists in the province of Aleppo.

On November 12, the commander of the Admiral Kuznetsov said that aea-based jets of the aircraft-carrying cruiser Admiral Kuznetsov which arrived in the Syrian coast heading a group of the Russian Northern Fleet's squadron started training flights.

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https://sputniknews.com/military/201611151047453617-frigate-syria-missiles/
14:29 15.11.2016(updated 21:47 15.11.2016) Get short URL

Russian Admiral Grigorovich frigate targeted terrorists in Syria with Kalibr cruise missile strikes, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said Tuesday. "Today, we started a large-scale operation on launching massive strikes on Daesh and al-Nusra Front targets in the Idlib and Homs provinces [in Syria]," Shoigu said.

Accoridng to him, Admiral Grigorovich frigate, Bastion coastal missile systems and "for the first time in history of the Russian Naval Forces" Admiral Kuznetsov aicraft-carrying cruiser take part in the military operation.

"Admiral Grigorovich [frigate] takes part in the operation. Today, it launched Kalibr cruise missiles on [terrorist] targets that had been confirmed by intelligence data and determined in advance," the minister said at a meeting of Russian President Vladimir Putin with top officials of the Russian Armed Forces.

Shoigu said that the Russian Armed Forces launch strikes on terrorists' plants in Syria, especially those producing poisonous substances. "It's clear that it's a well-organized industrial production, that's why we carry out strikes [on terrorist plants]." "Ammunition depots, terrorist training centers and plants producing different means of unconventional weapons are the main targets of the strikes."

Russia will continue strikes on terrorists' industrial and military sites in Syria, Shoigu said.

The minister reminded that a large group of Russian troops were sent to the country to determine what kind of chemical weapons terrorists in Syria were using. "They [terrorists] used them twice this week. In one instance, 27 people were hospitalized and three were killed, in the other case 30 were hospitalized. I mean the fighters of the Syrian army," he added. On November 12, the commander of the Admiral Kuznetsov said that aea-based jets of the aircraft-carrying cruiser Admiral Kuznetsov which arrived in the Syrian coast heading a group of the Russian Northern Fleet's squadron started training flights. On October 15, Russia's Northern Fleet’s press service said that a group of warships headed by the aircraft-carrying cruiser Admiral Kuznetsov accompanied by the Pyotr Veliky battle cruiser, the Severomorsk and Vice-Admiral Kulakov anti-submarine destroyer, and support vessels was sent to the Mediterranean to hold drills.

 

[Hindustani78]

Russian Su-33 fighter jets are parked on the flight deck of the Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. The Russian military on Tuesday launched a series of strikes on militant targets in Syria involving carrier-borne fighters, marking the Admiral Kuznetsovs combat debut.

 

[Hindustani78]

https://sputniknews.com/military/201611161047487995-russia-admiral-kuznetsov-upgrade/
10:44 16.11.2016
(updated 10:45 16.11.2016)

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Russia's Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier will be upgraded in 2018 after returning from service, Vice President of the United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC) Igor Ponomarev said Wednesday.

"We expect that in 2018, after the return of the ship from military service, the Zvezdochka shipyard will embark on repairs with modernization of the Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier," Ponomarev told RIA Novosti. The carrier has begun taking part in combat operations as part of the naval task force in Syria, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said Tuesday.

 

[500]

Russian carrier jets flying from Syria, not Kuznetsov

Sean O'Connor, Indianapolis and Jeremy Binnie, London and Tim Ripley, London - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly
25 November 2016
Many of the fast jets that were embarked on the Russia aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov have been flown to the main Russian air base in Syria, Airbus Defence and Space satellite imagery obtained by IHS Jane's shows.

Airbus Defence and Space satellite imagery showing Russian navy Su-33 jets parked among Russian Aerospace Forces aircraft at Humaymim Air Base in Syria on 20 November. (CNES 2016, Distribution Airbus DS / IHS)

The imagery shows eight Russian Federation Navy Su-33 and one MiG-29KR jets alongside various Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS) aircraft at Humaymim Air Base in Latakia province on 20 November.

Kuznetsov can carry around 20 fast jets and is known to have embarked at least eight Su-33s for its current deployment in the Eastern Mediterranean, and at least four of the new MiG-29KR multirole fighters for the first time.


http://www.janes.com/article/65775/russian-carrier-jets-flying-from-syria-not-kuznetsov

LOL.

 

[Hindustani78]

11:22
Frigate Admiral Essen equipped with Kalibr cruise missiles joins Russian Navy taskforce in Mediterranean Sea

 

[Hindustani78]

http://tass.com/defense/944761
Advanced frigate Admiral Essen
© Vitaly Nevar/TASS

"The Black Sea Fleet’s advanced frigate Admiral Essen, which is making an inter-fleet passage from the Baltic to the Black Sea Fleet, has today passed the Gibraltar Strait and arrived in the Mediterranean Sea. The warship has joined the Navy’s permanent task force in distant waters," Trukhachyov said.

The Russian Navy’s permanent Mediterranean task force currently includes the Black Sea Fleet’s two same-type frigates Admiral Grigorovich and Admiral Essen.