Up the Russians!

[swamp]

You won't find the Royal (G)Navy doing this:

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Pirates attack Russian oil tanker off Somalia coast
breaking news

A Russian warship is rushing to assist an oil tanker which was attacked by Somali pirates off East Africa.

The Marshal Shaposhnikov was heading to assist Moscow University, which was attacked on Tuesday 500 miles (800km) off the Somali coast, officials said.

Shots were fired at the 106,000-ton tanker from two speedboats, the ship's owner said.

It remains unclear whether the pirates have taken control of the vessel, which has 23 Russian crew on board.

BBC News - Pirates attack Russian oil tanker off Somalia coast

[Churchill]

You won't find the Royal (G)Navy doing this:

----

Pirates attack Russian oil tanker off Somalia coast
breaking news

A Russian warship is rushing to assist an oil tanker which was attacked by Somali pirates off East Africa.

The Marshal Shaposhnikov was heading to assist Moscow University, which was attacked on Tuesday 500 miles (800km) off the Somali coast, officials said.

Shots were fired at the 106,000-ton tanker from two speedboats, the ship's owner said.

It remains unclear whether the pirates have taken control of the vessel, which has 23 Russian crew on board.

BBC News - Pirates attack Russian oil tanker off Somalia coast

Really? You base your assumption on what?

This?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worl...argo-ship.html

Or this?

http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/operatio...changeNav/6568

[swamp]

Really? You base your assumption on what?

This?

Pictured: The moment Royal Navy sailors shot dead two Somali pirates after they tried to hijack a cargo ship | Mail Online

Or this?

All news : RN Live : News and Events : Royal Navy

No, this

Royal Navy witnessed Somali pirates kidnap British couple - Home News, UK - The Independent

[Churchill]

No, this

Royal Navy witnessed Somali pirates kidnap British couple - Home News, UK - The Independent

Paul and Rachel Chandler were bundled from their yacht near the Seychelles on to a motorised launch as the RFA Wave Knight approached but the Navy was unable to open fire for fear of killing the couple.

The admission by the Ministry of Defence that a Royal Navy ship was at the scene during the hijacking conflicted with an earlier statement which suggested the couple's yacht was found by HMS Cumberland empty some time after they had been seized. HMS Cumberland was the nearest warship to the scene but was two hours' away from the hijack, whereas the Wave Knight was close enough to see what was going on.

The MoD agreed it had been "economical with the truth" but maintained that it kept quiet about the true course of events for operational reasons during a "hijack situation".

Once in the launch the Chandlers were surrounded by pirates, making it impossible for the Navy vessel to open fire without risking the lives of the British couple, the MoD claimed.

The crowded launch took the couple to the pirates' mother ship, the previously hijacked container vessel Kota Wajara, while the crew of the Wave Knight attempted unsuccessfully to head them off. Some reports suggested that the Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessel managed to get within 50 feet of the pirates.

The Wave Knight was crewed by 25 Royal Navy personnel and 75 merchant seamen but, while equipped with a helicopter, has only limited weaponry which is intended for defence.

The MoD was anxious yesterday to play down expectations that the crew of the RFA vessel should have taken on the pirates.

A spokesman said: "Everything was done with the safety of the Chandlers in mind. We do not comment on operational detail but RFA Wave Knight did very well under the circumstances."

The MoD said that the couple were already in the hands of the pirates when the RFA vessel was close enough to see what was happening.

The Chandlers were kidnapped on 23 October as they sailed from the Seychelles towards Tanzania. They are thought to have been taken to a mainland base in Somalia by pirates who have demanded a $7m (£4.2m) ransom. The pirates have threatened to kill the couple if their demands are not met, though there are suggestions that they might want to organise a prisoner exchange, swapping the Chandlers for a group of pirates who were arrested by an EU warship on anti-piracy patrol off the Somali coast.

After seeing the ransom report, the Foreign Office said the Government would not make any "substantive concessions to hostage-takers, and that includes the payment of ransom". A spokesman added: "We are monitoring the situation closely. Foreign Office staff are in close contact with the family and offering support."

Figures released by the International Maritime Bureau showed that pirate attacks worldwide in 2009 have already exceeded the total for 2008, which itself was a record year for piracy. The majority of the attacks are attributed to Somalis.

A multinational force of warships has done little to deter the pirates, whose attacks are increasingly frequent and brazen. There have been at least 163 attacks so far in 2009, 47 of which were successful. At least eight ships and more than 150 crew members are being held.

What's your point?

[swamp]

What's your point?

Whatever happened to bravado? The pirates weren't to know the Wave Knight only had "limited weaponry". And the pirates weren't to know 75 of the crew were merchant seamen.

Anyway, the RN has a bit of form:

Iran seeks to humiliate Britain by parading captured naval boat on streets of Tehran | Mail Online

[Paddy]

What's your point?

The Brits and Ruskies use different tactics: The first concern with the RN would be to avoid casualties. The main concern with the Russian would be to put an end the situation even it means casualties (including hostages).

As the main chance of escaping is at the hostage taking stage, I would not have gone along with what the RN did or did not do.

[Churchill]

Whatever happened to bravado? The pirates weren't to know the Wave Knight only had "limited weaponry". And the pirates weren't to know 75 of the crew were merchant seamen.

Anyway, the RN has a bit of form:

Iran seeks to humiliate Britain by parading captured naval boat on streets of Tehran | Mail Online

What are you going to do other than make an international incident even worse?

You Sir, are an armchair warrior, even worse you're an armchair warrior who hasn't got a bloody clue. Are you one of AtW's sockies?

[shaunbhoy]

A Russian warship is rushing to assist an oil tanker which was attacked by Somali pirates off East Africa.

Well anyone can "rush to assist". That is the easy part. Whether or not they actually achieve a decent result remains to be seen.
I seem to recall the Russkies "rushing to assist" in Afghanistan and getting their arses kicked by the Mujahideen. So the jury is still out on whether their "rushing" will get them anywhere.

[AtW]

Are you one of AtW's sockies?

No I am not!

[Churchill]

The Brits and Ruskies use different tactics: The first concern with the RN would be to avoid casualties. The main concern with the Russian would be to put an end the situation even it means casualties (including hostages).

As the main chance of escaping is at the hostage taking stage, I would not have gone along with what the RN did or did not do.

Wrong vessel(and crew) for the job. The RFA are not Royal Navy personnel.

Hth.

The RFA is a civilian-manned flotilla that is owned by the Ministry of Defence and answerable to Commander in Chief Fleet.

There may have been a small complement of marines on-board for self defence of the vessel.