Russian Nuclear Submarine Accident Kills 20

Accident aboard Russian nuclear submarine kills 20 and injures 22, after a malfunction of the firefighting system sent freon gas into the forward compartments.

The latest in a series of unfortunate submarine accidents in recent years points to a still badly managed and decayed military in desperate need of an overhaul.

With its recent new found oil wealth, and what seems to be a new quest to reassert its dominance the Russians are wiping the dust off its old equipment and using parts piece meal to create working and operable systems.

The sub, an Akula-class attack submarine is the K-152 Nerpa (which means seal). Construction of this submarine started in 1991 but was shelved after the collapse of the former Soviet Union.

According to Pavel Felgenhauer, military expert with the independent Novaya Gazeta newspaper in Moscow the Nerpa's patchwork history may have contributed to Saturday's disaster. "They are using bits of Soviet equipment and hardware, brushing off the rust and putting in new stuff," says Mr. Felgenhauer. "That's just not a good way to develop operational equipment."

Moreover, Russia's military establishment has a crushing shortage of qualified experts. "That submarine was being constructed over a period of 15 years, and was the only one being built at the Amur shipyard during that time," says Alexander Goltz, a military expert with the online newspaper Yezhednevnaya Gazeta. "How many of the original specialists and skilled workers would have stayed on during that period? Very few. Everything conspired to make that ship very vulnerable."

This sub, though no one seems to be admitting it publicly was slated for delivery to India, under what was to be a 10 year lease.

Other accidents in recent years on Russian Subs:
A torpedo accident on the Russian submarine Kursk in 2000 claimed the lives of 118 sailors. The accident -- and the botched response -- were a public relations disaster for then-Russian President Vladimir Putin in his first year in office. (Click here for Putin's video appearance on "Larry King Live"; Asked what happened to the Kursk, Putin smirks: "Ona utonula" -- "she sank.") The Nerpa incident comes as Russia reasserts its military power and prepares to overhaul its nuclear forces; Russia is currently sending a naval squadron to Venezuela to take part in a military exercise.

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Russians To Deploy Missiles On Border With Poland

The Russian President Dmitri Medvedev, within hours after the election of Barack Obama as the new US President announced the deployment of Iskander missiles in its Baltic enclave of Kaliningrad next to the border with Poland.

Believed to be a response both to the missile shield deployment in Poland and as a way to test the new administration, thought it does not take over the office until January 20th 2009.

This leaves current President Bush, with the choice of leaving this for the next President to deal with or taking a stance now. It is yet to be known what he will do.

This is also just one of many things the Russian's have done lately to bolster its status and power in the world of late. I have written about some of these things earlier such as New Cold War Heats Up, Is Russia Renewing the Cold War With Words and Actions?, and Russia To Deploy New Nuclear Missile.

Evidence seems to support that the Russians with their new found oil funded wealth will be making a power play for years to come...

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Russia To Deploy New Nuclear Missile

I have been writing quite a bit about Russia lately. See the posts New Cold War Heats Up and Is Russia Renewing The Cold War With Words and Actions.

Now it seems Russia is working on deploying a new nuclear missile designed to penetrate missile defense shields and is building eight new subs to carry the missiles.

This is in addition to giving Venezuela a $1 Billion dollar arms deal that was done after the United States decided to put a missile shield in Poland.

I'll let you draw your own conclusions on this and would love to hear your thoughts as well.

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Is Russia Renewing The Cold War With Words And Actions ?

As I wrote in an earlier posting, New Cold War Heats Up it appears that a new Russia is taking shape, making new allies and offering help to sworn enemies of the United States.

As the old saying goes, the enemy of my enemy is my friend.

Russia, has sent two Tupolev Tu-160 bombers (NATO reporting name Blackjack) for joint maneuvers to Venezuela. The aircraft are strategic bombers capable of carrying nuclear payloads and a range of 10,800 miles.

Russia has also threatened Poland and the Ukraine over the proposed missile shield. Has tested a new Next-Generation Ballistic Missie, and is offering new help to Iran including selling them their own air defense technology.

Ironically, Russia seems to have taken this new stance after the terrorist attack at the school in Beslan and has decided to take a hard line stance mostly against the West and Putin (who most believe is still in charge) has publicly stated that the collapse of the former Soviet Union is the worst catastrophe of the 20th Century.

Given the events around the world Russia has chosen some strange new bed fellows in the hopes of again becoming a super power with its new found oil wealth. Though they have taken a beating in their markets after the Georgian invasion.

All of that said however it appears that Russia has drawn a line in the sand, and appear to be starting a new cold war.

Even if unintended, all of this will have far reaching consequence since it appeared that Israel and or the United States and our allies may have been planning an attack on Iran. If this does occur, it could lead to the breakout of the next world war.

Though unlikely to happen, it will give Iran better odds of acquiring a nuclear weapon. The only question is, will they launch it on Israel, or sell it to terrorists in the hopes of using it on the United States, or somewhere in Europe?

NOTE: The sources below are numerous but worth the time to read and will shed more light on what I describe above.

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Source 10 Has The Cyberwar Already Begun?
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New Cold War Heats Up

Former President of Russia, Putin Warns of direct confrontation with United States, as Russia threatens nuclear attack on Poland over missile shield.

All of this as NATO, and U.S. ships are just a few miles away from Russian ships at separate Georgian ports in the Black Sea.

Putin, has gone as far as accusing the United States of starting the conflict in Georgia, and has received reports from his military officers that U.S. citizens were in the area of conflict, which he views as helping the Georgian military.

Russian General Anatoly Nogovitsyn said that any new US assets in Europe could come under Russian nuclear attack with his forces targeting "the allies of countries having nuclear weapons".

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Source 4 UN Map - Georgia
Source 5 UN Map - Poland