Upgrade to Russian Black Sea fleet

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Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhaylo Yezhel announced that it will allow Russia to modernize its Navy fleet in the Black Sea. However, talks on the details of the deal are still underway between Ukraine and Russian Defense Ministers. Russia’s Black Sea Fleet currently stationed in the Crimea Sevastopol peninsula, is on a lease agreement with the Ukraine until the year 2042. Also according to Russian Black Sea Fleet Adm. Igor Kasatonov Russia will never give up this naval base or the nearby Kuril Islands since it is the only protection to the southwestern border of Russia. The restoration of this fleet according to Russian Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov is because these naval ships have been rusting in anchor since the collapse of the USSR. The current count of operational vessels sums to 40 and only a single diesel-electrical submarine. Some frigates are subject to restoration and decommissioning while 15 of them will be new combat ships and 6-Kilo class diesel-electric submarines by 2020. One primary goal by Minister Serdyukov to the Ukraine for the new agreements is the replacement of armament and hardware on the Black Sea Fleet. The admiral stated on Friday that the operational zone of the Black Sea Fleet includes the Mediterranean, and vessels will carry out anti-piracy missions in the Gulf of Aden.

Comment:

According to a deal the Ukraine had in 1997 with Russia called the Partition Treaty, it had established two independent fleets and dividing armaments and bases between both countries. Though this treaty created permanent tensions about the details of the lease, it leads to disputes on the control of certain lighthouses from both armies. The agreement was to lease these bases and ports only until 2017.




Reliability: 8.5

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