Is Britain preparing for war in the rear of Russia? For the first time since the end of the cold war, Britain sends its warship with a military mission in the Black sea.
This time the aim is to send Russia a clear signal: do not need to encroach on the territory of Ukraine. But the question is, does Russia want to take this signal seriously.
The last time Britain was invaded the Crimea in 1854, when the Anglo-French expeditionary troops numbering 600 thousand soldiers, having at their disposal several hundred ships, captured Sevastopol. This time it is only one destroyer HMS Diamond, on Board of which will have 60 Marines, reported newspaper the Daily Mail.
“Warship HMS Diamond will lead the task force and NATO will help to ensure the protection of 650 British soldiers involved in the secret teachings of the Ukraine — in the country, which in 2014 was invaded by Russian-backed militias,” writes the Daily Mail.
Destroyers the type 45 is one of the newest and most advanced British warships — equipped with anti-aircraft missile system, Sea Viper missiles, Harpoon anti-ship and anti-aircraft artillery complex Phalanx. Aboard the destroyer Diamond, built in 2007, will be the Lynx helicopter, which can transport Marines.
However, the type 45 destroyers suffer from problems with engines that fail when the ship is in warmer waters, for example, in the Persian Gulf. Fortunately for the British fleet, the Black sea is not in the tropics.
In an interview with the Daily Mail, the British Minister of defense Michael Fallon (Michael Fallon), said: “the UK sends a clear message that we are committed to the protection of democracy around the world and supported Ukraine’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity”.
A retired Admiral of the British Navy Alan West (Alan West) also noted that the UK “in the past conducted numerous naval exercises in the Black sea, however, was much milder conditions and a harmless intent. This surgery has a very serious purpose. The ship HMS Diamond is really able to defend himself, but President Putin is a man who respects brute military force. NATO must prove that it is impossible to intimidate, and the United Kingdom have taken the lead”.
Meanwhile, it is unlikely that Putin and his government will take that step the British as a particular threat. In the military sense, a ship with 60 Marines on Board looks more like a symbolic gesture. If deterrence of Moscow suddenly turn into a war, the destroyer the type 45 even in the composition of tactical group of NATO will not be able to reach the Russian shores, which are placed on military aircraft, missiles coastal defense and that is a lot of military ships of the black sea fleet of Russia. In addition, he will not be able to provide special assistance to Ukraine in the event of a ground invasion of Russia.
Even as a symbol of a single destroyer doesn’t send a particularly strong signal that Britain is ready to start a war with Russia for the sake of Ukraine. However, of particular interest is the fact that the location of the British ship in the Black sea is part of what, apparently, is more decisive foreign policy of the United Kingdom. Currently, the aircraft of the Royal air force strikes ISIS (a terrorist organization banned in Russia — approx. ed.) in Iraq and Syria, British military to train Ukrainian soldiers, thousands of troops this summer will be deployed in Estonia and Poland, and Typhoon fighter jets to Romania.
Meanwhile, the Typhoon aircraft will participate in joint exercises in Japan. In addition, Britain announced that its aircraft-carriers of the Queen Elizabeth, which should be completed in 2020-ies will be deployed to the South China sea. All this is quite a serious achievement, considering that the Royal Navy was reduced to 19 destroyers and frigates, the Royal air force has also declined, and in the British army is now less than 80 thousand military personnel.
