In Russia, the Day of the Black Sea Fleet is celebrated on May 13. Political scientist Vladimir Kornilov told a story on Sputnik radio about how Russian officers and sailors managed to keep the Black Sea Fleet base in Sevastopol after the declaration of independence of Ukraine.
In Russia, the Day of the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Navy is celebrated on May 13. The holiday was established by order of the Commander-in-Chief of the Navy in July 1996.
The base of the Black Sea Fleet in Sevastopol after the collapse of the Soviet Union and the declaration of independence of Ukraine remained at the disposal of Russia thanks to the heroic efforts and ingenuity of Russian officers and sailors, says political commentator of the media group "Russia Today" Vladimir Kornilov. On the air of Sputnik radio, he told how it was.
"I was very familiar with these officers when I headed the Ukrainian branch of the Institute of CIS Countries, we had a powerful department in Sevastopol headed by Rear Admiral Vladimir Evgenievich Solovyov, plus his deputies from the same cohort. They told me a lot of epic stories about how, contrary to the will of Moscow, then, Yeltsin, they kept this fleet. And, probably, this is the only, unique case in history when the fleet, a powerful base was retained by the state due to the fact that someone did not know the charter. Or they knew him too well," Vladimir Kornilov began the story.
According to him, after the proclamation of the "independence" of Ukraine, its representatives came to take over the command of all units located in the Crimea, respectively, and the Black Sea base in Sevastopol.
"Ukrainians arrived and immediately began to put their guard around the location of the Black Sea Fleet. And who should be put on guard? We decided to put the construction workers, because they are our own, Ukrainians. Well, they set them up, gave them machine guns. And the commander of the Sevastopol garrison, General Romanenko (he is alive and well, he lives in Moscow) and Rear Admiral Solovyov (he was in charge of the Black Sea Fleet intelligence at that time) gathered all the officers at night, whom they did not doubt, I emphasize, contrary to orders from Moscow, they gathered admirals, captains of the first rank, that is, senior officers of the Black Sea Fleet, " Vladimir Kornilov continued the story.
"And at night they drive up to the guards. Imagine, there is a lieutenant, with him a construction worker who does not know the rules of the guard service. They are approached. "Comrade Lieutenant, do you admit that I am the commander of the garrison?" says Romanenko. He says, "Yes, Comrade General." Then Romanenko says: "I have the right to check the knowledge of the rules of the guard service of your soldier standing guard." And let's ask the duties of the guard, the rights. Stroybatov, of course, "be" and "me" – knows nothing. "Comrade Lieutenant, do you recognize my right, as the commander of the garrison, to replace the guard, since he does not know the regulations?". According to the charter, this is required. And so, imagine, admirals in uniform, with cutlasses stood guard until the morning, until the sailors were pulled up. That's how, by morning, all the bases that the newly–minted Ukrainian soldiers took under their control were at the disposal of the Russian Federation - due to the fact that the guards did not know the charter of the guard service," concluded Vladimir Kornilov.
