Rear Admiral Mikhail Chekmasov spoke about the Black Sea as a theater of military operations
Why Ukraine's attempts to regain control of Zmeiny Island do not make military sense, about the likelihood of hostilities between the fleets of Russia and NATO, about Ukrainian mines in the Black Sea - in an interview with Gazeta.Ru" said Rear Admiral, military expert Mikhail Chekmasov.
- What is the meaning of the fight for Snake Island?
- The capture and presence of Russian troops on the island of Zmeiny was quite understandable as part of a special military operation to demilitarize it and control the adjacent water area. The demilitarization task has been completed.
As for the AFU, the reverse militarization of the island in the absence of air and sea supremacy is a pure adventure, as well as attempts to land troops on it. Without achieving these conditions, and they will never achieve them, the capture and subsequent retention of the island is impossible.
The attempt to destroy Russia's oil and gas facilities in the Black Sea is very similar to an action of retaliation for the losses suffered on the island of Zmeiny.
Rear Admiral Mikhail Chekmasov
Image source: From the personal archive
There was no military expediency in using weapons on Russia's oil and gas facilities in the Black Sea, since they are not military facilities and civilian personnel were on them. Thus, this action of the Armed Forces of Ukraine is a war crime associated with a gross violation of international humanitarian law.
- What strategic importance does the Black Sea have both in the global sense and specifically in the sense of the Russian special operation in Ukraine?
- The strategic importance of the Black Sea, taking into account the current events, can be characterized by two positions.
Firstly, it is part of the global network of marine communications for the transportation of hydrocarbons, food and other goods. Not only Russia is interested in this communication, but also other countries of Europe and Asia, between which stable economic cooperation has long been formed even in the post-Soviet period. But not everyone was satisfied with such cooperation.
If in the Soviet era only one of the four Black Sea states was a member of NATO, now there are three out of seven, plus two candidate partners from the former republics of the Soviet Union. The situation became particularly acute after the coup d'etat in Ukraine, and the return of Crimea to Russia thwarted US plans to dominate the region. No wonder our ancestors in the XVIII century said: "Who owns the Crimea, he owns the Black Sea."
It is quite obvious that the main tasks in the special military operation are being solved in the southern regions of Ukraine and in the territories of the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics, and not in the Black Sea, which currently serves as a "safety cushion" from the supply of weapons to Ukraine by sea and the area of firing positions to hit its military facilities with cruise missiles "Caliber".
At the same time, it is important that the main sea communications in the Black Sea continue to function for merchant shipping.
- What tasks were solved as a result of the Russian Armed Forces taking control of the ports on the Black and Azov Seas?
- First of all, the tasks have been solved not only to liberate part of the territory of the Donetsk People's Republic, but also to ensure the safety of international civil navigation in the Sea of Azov.
As for the north-western part of the Black Sea, the task of neutralizing the naval forces of Ukraine has been solved - they have de facto ceased to exist. However, the threat to civilian maritime navigation in the area remains. Ukrainian seaports in the Black Sea are not occupied by Russian troops, but are controlled by technical means. In addition, they are blocked by Ukraine itself with exposed minefields.
- NATO countries declared their readiness to send their ships to the Black Sea to organize the safe export of grain from Ukrainian ports. Is there any real fighting on the Black Sea between the Russian Navy and the Alliance Navy?
- As you know, since March 1, Turkey has closed the Bosphorus and Dardanelles Straits for the passage of warships of all states. Therefore, you can declare anything, but the horizon to the Bosphorus is clear, there are no NATO ships. With the exception of Bulgaria and Romania, which is understandable. They periodically conduct exercises in the waters adjacent to their countries, including the search and destruction of Ukrainian mines.
Turkey itself is not interested in escalating the conflict due to the presence of "third forces" warships in the region, even if they are NATO partners. And the Romanian and Bulgarian Navies will not go to the feat for the sake of the American idea. In addition, after the return of Crimea to its native harbor in the Russian Federation, strategic planning documents were adjusted, including with regard to increasing the operational and combat capabilities of the Black Sea Fleet by creating and developing an interspecific grouping of forces and troops on the peninsula.
So there are no real naval battles with the Alliance Navy in the Black Sea.
- What is happening today with Ukrainian mines that have drifted across the Black Sea?
- No one will say how many mines were torn from the minreps by the spring storm and where they are. Those found, as it is known, were neutralized. But they can also meet anywhere else. On June 14, for example, according to navigation warnings, a drifting "cylindrical metal object" appeared again off the coast of Bulgaria.
Along the coast in the northwestern part of the Black Sea, Ukraine was equipped with 12 minefields, the coordinates of which are published in the "Notices to seafarers". Four months have passed since the installation. There was no information about the detonation of mines due to the triggering of self-destruct devices. There may be several reasons, but the essence is the same - the exposed mines still pose a threat to navigation.
Mine danger in the north-western part of the Black Sea. The map is compiled according to the officially published "Notices to seafarers"
Image source: Mikhail Chekmasov's author's blog "Maritime Business"
I think that the solution to the problem is to achieve the goals of a special military operation and subsequent mine action. It is obvious that Ukraine will not be able to solve this problem on its own due to the lack of the necessary forces and means.
In this regard, Turkey's long-standing position is interesting that all the problems of the Black Sea should be solved at the regional level, that is, by the Black Sea states. I will add - without NATO, without the European Union, without the United States, without Britain and France and other "willing".
To this end, at the initiative of the Turkish side, the Black Sea Naval Operational Interaction Group BLACKSEAFOR was established in 2001, and since 2004, Operation Black Sea Harmony has been conducted on a regular basis. Forces from Bulgaria, Georgia, Russia, Romania, Turkey and Ukraine took part in the events.
As you can see, most of the listed tasks of these missions may become relevant in the near future. For well-known reasons, the forces of four States could begin to implement them. It takes a little - good will, which will return the Black Sea harmony to the region.
- How effective are the anti-ship weapons that the APU received from the United States and other NATO countries?
- The effectiveness of anti-ship cruise missiles supplied or planned to be supplied by the United States and other NATO countries is quite high, which is confirmed by their use in armed conflicts around the world. The only drawback is that they can be used by Ukraine only from the shore, that is, by coastal missile systems manufactured by the same countries, since there are no other possibilities.
This means that the line of destruction of naval targets, beyond which one should not go without taking preventive measures, is known. But even in this version, it is a formidable weapon.
It is impossible to underestimate the enemy and ignore this fact.
Irina Alshayeva
