The USS For McHenry (LSD 43), a US Navy landing ship, entered the Black Sea on January 6th, becoming the first one to do so since the incident between the Ukrainian Navy and Russian Coast Guard south of the Kerch Straight on November 25th.
#USSFortMcHenry (LSD 43) & embarked elements of the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), has begun its north-bound transit of the Dardanelles Strait, en route to the Black Sea #US6thFleet #Power4Peace pic.twitter.com/jTqF64i8e1
— U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa/U.S. 6th Fleet (@USNavyEurope) January 6, 2019
“USS Fort McHenry’s transit into the Black Sea reaffirms our collective resolve to Black Sea security and enhances our strong relationships with our NATO allies and partners in the region,” said Vice Adm. Lisa M. Franchetti, commander, U.S. 6th Fleet. “Our routine operations in the Black Sea also demonstrate the inherent flexibility and capability of U.S. 6th Fleet naval forces.”
The statement also reminded that the US Navy routinely operates in the Black Sea:
“The U.S. Navy routinely operates in the Black Sea consistent with international law, including the Montreux Convention. During 2018, The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers USS Ross (DDG 71), USS Carney (DDG 64) and USS Porter (DDG 78), the Blue Ridge-class command and control ship USS Mount Whitney (LCC 20), the Harpers Ferry-class dock landing ship USS Oak Hill (LSD 51) with embarked elements of the 26th MEU, and Spearhead-class expeditionary fast transport USNS Carson City (T-EPF 7), all conducted operations in the Black Sea.”
Significantly, the entry of the US Navy ship into the Black Sea takes places after martial law expired in Ukraine on December 26th. Considering the timeline, the US showcased its formal presence in the region, but did not fuel Ukrainian President Poroshenko’s attempts to escalate the conflict with Russia. According to the available data, the recent attempts of the Kiev government to trigger a new round of hostilities in eastern Ukraine or to start a hot conflict with Russia have found no support in the Trump administration so far.
On January 3rd, Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Yury Biryukov said that the country still plans to send military vessels through the Kerch Strait in the nearest future.
Earlier, on December 23rd, Ukraine’s Deputy Minister for Occupied Territories, Yury Hrymchak, went even further, suggesting that the British Navy should sail one of its vessels through the Kerch Straight for the sake of freedom of navigation. “It would be interesting to see how will [the Russians] react,” he said.
Officials in Moscow blasted the suggestion as “being out of touch with reality.” It indicates “how dangerous the current regime in Kiev is for the world,” Russian Senator Frants Klintsevich said. “This regime is descending deeper into a maniacal condition,” he added. The HMS Echo did, in fact, visit the Black Sea and ported in Odessa, Ukraine.
Moscow has repeatedly said it has no objections to Ukrainian warships traveling between the Black and Azov Seas through the Kerch Strait, but insisted that it should be done in accordance with the agreed procedure when Kiev informs the Russian side of its navigation plans in advance. Russia also considers the presence of the US and NATO ships in the Black Sea as only serving to increase tensions and put Europe at risk of a military conflict.
Some advice to ALL ships in the area: avoid these boys and girls on the USS Bath-Tub. Just the presence of this ship increases the chances of a collision tenfold. Idiots looking at their cell phones and a US Navy ship is a very bad combination. (I reckon that many of these sailors have never even heard of the Black sea before this deployment.)
Absolutely… I am also waiting for the Russians to do a “Donald Cook” electronic warfare attack on the Fort McHenry…
If that happens it could be renamed the USS McFlurry.
I suspect it will never happen again since it was a hoax
Same lol
Surely the word ‘Black’ is an appropriation of the culture of those specimen’s ‘ Of Colour ‘ on board the USS Bathtub.
Would they call it black then and leave out the LGBTQXYXABCDEF lot ?.
The queer men who identify as cunts you mean ? :)
Now, you are using my type of language and logic. LMAO.
and YES, them.
Lol.
Agreed.
PS Black Sea, they think they are in Africa, hence the sky high confidence levels.
They do now thank you come again.
So far I have seen no oil tankers go down there too as well as cargo vessels. More like like trying to come in Guiness for the biggest ballon filled with dirthe air and no toothbrush becaise og no teeth.
Facts are the new reduced USSSR/KGB blocked the Ukrainiens whish seemes partly to provoke. Like a football match of many. This time it was 6-4 to Russia soi far.
What’s the big deal? Is this not USSA national waters? Everywhere is USSA national waters and everywhere, every business and everybody is subject to USSA law.
You sell a biscuit to Iran from you bedroom in Cambodia, you have broken a USSA law. It’s that ******* simple. It’s all about spreading freedumb and dumbocracy. ( Comment from ZH )
Even if you shit in the toilet it is USA food to shit.If you marry a white woman it is USA volunteer in poor Africa.If a white woman propose you because of your big black penis usa lawmakers says he wanted to rape.If whites comes to Africa their call them tourist investors,shareholders,stakeholders,knowledge tranfering experts not expatriates. If black man appears in France,Germany, Britain, USA or puppet NATO country their call him illegal immigrants, refugees,asylum seeker,African illegal accommodation seekers,if people resisting or refuses their are call insurgents,terrorists, bomb planter,African asylum xenophobia useless refugees.Israelis are prefer Gods children but their are worst of still killing people and waiting for Jesus which their killed and sacrifice. There is no messiah coming but Jesus the son of God.God himself who came down as word and became flesh.Currently Israel is equal to devil because their refuse Jesus.If Israelis humble themself and accept Jesus as God then God will protect them from heaven.This will only happen if Israelis accept Jesus as God.Before that the whole world will destroy Israel.Then the civilians of Israel will Force the regime to obey Jesus and surrender and cry out to Jesus then the convent between Abraham and God will be fulfill.up to now all Israel leaders react as their accept Jesus but their defy him the only door.
Xoli, you need to get back on your meds
If you take Israel´s history since Moses in 1500 BC, you see one long road of Jewish slavery in Egypt, Babylon, Persia, Turkey, Rome and further Christians sitting as elite in Jerusalem banning Jews to even enter the city and their destroyed Temple.
Moses wrote a Messiah would come and save the Jews and give them their land back and free them. So when Jesus arrived in 0 CE and told them to turn the other cheek to the Romans, pay their taxes with joy and forgive their oppressors from Rome because they didnt know what they was doing, he wasnt exactly the Messiah the Jews had expected.
Its not for me to judge the Jews or the story, just saying it is somewhere understandable the Jews after 1500 years, now occupied by Rome and with a destroyed Temple, could not bear to hear someone coming and claim he was their Messiah, praising their oppressors and their taxmen, throwing the law of Moses away, giving their God to others and kick the Jews out from God´s protection as a hypocritic people.
God says in the book of John that wen you pass on judgement it must be right full.God says forgive your enemies and give them love did God children did only blood spilling denying other human beings from Gods love and joy.
Who cares where they sail in international waters – this is hardly news
Correct, international waters are international waters. Who cares. it’s called freedom of navigation. Now if it’s within territorial waters then we have a bigger issue at hand.
Russia would like the Black sea to be an internal lake so yeah they scream like babies every time they see an American ship on their lake.
JohnWayneFlower (:
cannon fodder for another false flag op. poor marines your enemy is in your ranks
That’s not a full fledged battleship, the writers should stop the inflammatory mayerial. That’s a landing ship with miniscule protection. Can that match Sevastopol?
One hour and 24 minutes into this video, look at what happened when the USS Donald Cook, leading the Nato fleet, to kick Russia out of Sevestapol, met up with Bastion?
EXCLUSIVE: The famous Russian documentary on Crimea with Putin FINALLY with SUBS… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Mw4Y9jRwCQ
Just before they met the little Russian jets.
What spooked the USS Donald Cook so much in the Black Sea?… http://www.voltairenet.org/article185860.html
Now who were measuring up the curtains, plus, carpets, before the people of Crimea voted to go home to Russia.
UK and US Always Knew Crimea Wanted to Re-join Russia – Archives… https://sputniknews.com/analysis/201812281071042343-uk-us-crimea-russia/
How Russia Ruined American Plans In Crimea… https://www.fort-russ.com/2016/03/how-russia-ruined-american-plans-in/
It is a very vulnerable ship. Not a threat at all to anybody.
It’s just fine for dropping some listening devices in the Black Sea.
That’s a possibility I agree.
Meet up with those the UK dropped? It is the 500 marines on board, who will be meeting up with those the UK dropped off, but, where and why?
I am sure the Russians will figure that one out. ;)
Apart from those on board John. :)
That is just a show for Ukraine: Everyone knows that US could send half of its entire fleet to black see and it would still not be a real threat for Russia. Code word: Kinzhal
“Pitliviy” is already shadowing this coackroach vessel to make sure it doesn’t do anything silly.
That’s good to hear.
RUSSIA WARNS: Any Ukrainian Action In The Kerch Strait Will Receive ‘Special Attention’… https://www.fort-russ.com/2019/01/russia-warns-any-ukrainian-action-in-the-kerch-strait-will-receive-special-attention/
Must admit I am still laughing at so many sailors on the USS Donald Cooke, after they met both Bastion, plus, the little Russian jets, with their non-tactile weapons, in the Black Sea.
Would you believe it, they, plus, the US aircraft carrier, USS Theodore Roosevelt, then got some more of the same, over in the Baltic Sea, when they tried to get too close to Khaliningrad.
Did US Sailors sign up to be serve this lot?
CEPA Releases Bipartisan Open Letter to Raise the Costs on Russian Military Aggression
On December 12, 2018, the Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA) released a bipartisan Open Letter calling for the United States to raise the costs on Russia for its recent military escalation against Ukraine. Co-signed by 50 distinguished experts, former officials, and previous ambassadors, the Letter urges President Donald Trump to “swiftly raise the costs on Russia for its latest illegal actions—and by making visible preparations to impose even higher costs for future aggression…”
First, aggressively implementing and enforcing existing U.S. sanctions against Russia to the fullest extent allowed by law.
Second, providing additional security assistance to strengthen Ukraine’s maritime capabilities, specifically by providing systems such as radars, coastal defense missiles, ISR equipment, and patrol boats for defense and deterrence against future attack on Ukraine’s Black and Azov Sea littoral zones.
Third, employing the bully pulpit of your office to ensure that all European allies hold firm in maintaining their own financial penalties on Russia for its previous illegal actions in Crimea and press our allies to maintain a robust NATO maritime presence in the Black Sea in order to defend freedom of navigation.
Fourth, immediately imposing either new or more restrictive sanctions on Russian financial instruments and banks, including Vnesheconombank (VEB), Promsvyazbank, Gazprombank, and the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF).
Fifth, rallying our European allies through all available means to persuade the German government to suspend its official support for the Russian-owned Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline on account of Moscow’s latest aggression.
Sixth, taking visible and obvious steps that prepare new and immediate U.S. sanctions on the Nord Stream 2 pipeline—and assert the willingness to implement them.
Sending the right message via action now—and visibly preparing to implement additional sanctions in the future—is a language that Vladimir Putin will understand. We can use the strength of our financial system, the integrity of our leadership, and the friendship of our allies to make Europe and the United States safer and more secure. Indeed, we stand stronger against Russian aggression when we stand together with our European partners and allies. We ask you to act.
Your consideration of these concerns is greatly appreciated.
Karl Altau, Anne Applebaum, AMB (ret.) Victor Ashe, Anders Aslund, Kirk Bennett, Stephen Blank, Ian Brzezinski, Janusz Bugajski, Michael Carpenter, GEN (ret.) Wesley Clark, Orest Deychakiwsky, Peter B. Doran, AMB (ret.) Norman Eisen, Evelyn Farkas, Jamie Fly, AMB (ret.) Mark Gitenstein, Agnia Grigas, Michael Haltzel, Rebeccah L. Heinrichs, AMB (ret.) John Herbst LTG (ret.) Ben Hodges, Glen Howard, Toomas Hendrik Ilves, Donald N. Jensen, Phillip Karber Jonathan Katz, James Kirchick, HON David J. Kramer, Nadia McConnell, AMB (ret.) Stephen Mull, Stephen Olejasz, Andrei Piontkovski, Herman Pirchner, Jr., Alina Polyakova, Corina Rebegea, Laura Rosenberger, Randall Scheunemann, Gary Schmitt, AMB (ret.) Keith Smith Maria Snegovaya, Vladimir Socor, AMB (ret.) Réka Szemerkényi, James Townsend, AMB (ret.) George H. Walker III, Brian Whitmore, Ray Wojcik, Daniel Vajdich, AMB. (ret.) Alexander Vershbow, AMB (ret.) Temuri Yakobashvili, HON Dov S. Zakheim
https://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/374e11_ce3031abb91b442eaeea227472803e4f.pdf
“We can use the strength of our financial system, the integrity of our leadership, and the friendship of our allies “(c) Poor creatures, they never stop to amuse me :)
All ugly bugs. I couldnt function in a group of complete duffers like these.
Ukraine – do you mean?
Ugly Bug Ball (Sing Along Songs)… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utWrIWq2_tk
nice how do u know?
From official RuMOD statement published the same day.
Good, good… Russians are shitting bricks all over the place
I hope the troops will be wearing their new nautical diapers. We all remmeber what happened last time. https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0704/5013/products/infant-swim-diapers-i-play-fun-snap-reusable-swimsuit-diaper-navy-tugboat-1.jpg?v=1494366413