The operational association The Caspian Flotilla of the Russian Navy is based in Astrakhan, and it includes surface ships, search and rescue vessels, aviation, parts of coastal troops, as well as special, technical and logistical support. Its main objectives are the following: to ensure the national and state interests of the Russian Federation in this region, to counter terrorism.
History
The Red Banner Caspian Flotilla of the Russian Navy is almost the oldest operational association of the Russian Navy, formed in November 1722 by Emperor Peter the Great. At the same time, a military port was built in Astrakhan to protect the north and west of the Caspian coast. The Caspian flotilla of the Russian Navy participated in almost all the campaigns that the country undertook in this region: the Persian campaign of 1722, undertaken by the emperor, was accompanied by 80 large ships. Since 1867, the main base has moved to Baku. In this way, fisheries and trade were protected, and the flotilla represented Russia's industrial interests in Iran. The merits were great: the Caspian flotilla of the Russian Navy won the right to the St. George ribbon worn by sailors on visors.
In 1918, the flotilla became the Military Fleet of the Astrakhan Territory, then it was reorganized in 1931. The Russian Navy fought in the Great Patriotic Caspian Flotilla near Mariupol, Kerch, Sevastopol and many other fronts, sailors escorted military cargo and oil to the Caspian in transport. For their great services in the war against the fascist invaders, many hundreds of sailors and officers were awarded medals and orders, and among them eight Heroes of the Soviet Union. The Caspian flotilla itself was awarded the Order of the Red Banner and became the Red Banner.
Base and composition
When the USSR state ceased to exist, and the republics were transformed into sovereign countries, in 1992 the forces, assets and ships of the flotilla were also divided. Seventy percent of all funds were transferred back to Astrakhan, where the main headquarters are located, and in addition, to Kaspiysk and Makhachkala, the remaining thirty percent went to Azerbaijan - housing, coastal infrastructure and ships. In 2010, the Caspian Flotilla is already part of the Southern Military District. It is almost the main component, since it includes parts of the marine corps, coastal missile artillery troops and much more, in addition to the basic structure - several divisions and brigades of ships.
Today, the Caspian flotilla has about forty ships and various ships, two patrol ships - Dagestan and Tatarstan, three small missile ships - Uglich, Grad Sviyazhsk and Veliky Ustyug, four small artillery ships - Makhachkala, Volgodonsk and Astrakhan. There are also missile and artillery boats, two base minesweepers and five raid boats, six landing boats and much, much more. The Caspian flotilla, according to the Russian Ministry of Defense, only in 2015 participated in more than forty exercises of various kinds, including the fight against terrorism. The flagship is the Tatarstan missile patrol ship under the command of Rear Admiral Igor Osipov. Ships and ships, special purpose units and units are the honor and glory that the Caspian flotilla of the Russian Navy preserves and increases. Its composition is diverse and as complete as possible: this includes even the hydrographic vessel of the Navy service.
Using
The surface component of the Navy protects maritime communications, transports and covers amphibious landings, sets up minefields and fights against mine danger, ensures the exit and deployment of submarine forces, as well as their return to the base. Submarines inflict unexpected attacks on continental and naval targets, as well as reconnaissance. The armament of the Caspian flotilla of the Russian Navy has the most modern: ballistic and cruise missiles. Naval aviation is designed to counter surface ship groupings, to launch rocket and bomb strikes against objects on the coast, to repel attacks of anti-ship missiles and enemy aircraft, to indicate the target ships when they detect enemy submarines.
Thus, all the coasts of the Caspian are defended: naval bases, ports, basing points and coastal facilities, as well as military operations are being conducted by the entire composition of the airborne assault forces. The Caspian flotilla of the Russian Navy, the composition of which involves the qualitative protection of our borders, not only stands guard, but also restrains all the military forces of the rest of the world, pacifies the threats of ill-wishers in relation to our country, protecting its sovereignty even outside the land territories - inland and territorial waters, as well as the free movement of ships in open seas and oceans.
For peace
Conditions are created and maintained that ensure the safety of the maritime activities of the Russian Federation, which is why the Russian naval forces are also present in the oceans. The flag is shown, ships and ships of the Navy pay visits to distant points of the planet, pursuing the interests of the Russian Federation, and a lot of peacekeeping and humanitarian work of the world military community is carried out with the participation of the Navy.
So, in 2015, although the Caspian flotilla of the Russian Navy is not based on a point outside the Caspian, twenty-six attacks from the UKKS with cruise missiles were launched at terrorist bases in Syria, which successfully hit eleven targets. A range of one and a half thousand kilometers is quite accessible to the ships of the flotilla: Uglich, Veliky Ustyug, Grad Sviyazhsk and Dagestan did an excellent job.
Equipment
All the ships guarding our borders in the Caspian are designed and manufactured at the country's shipyards: at Zelenodolsk and Primorsky factories, shipyards of Azov, Astrakhan, Feodosiya, Petrozavodsk, as well as the Volga, Zaliv, and Imeni 61 Communards Shipyard, but special pride - missile boats and minesweepers from the banks of the Neva, which received the Caspian flotilla of the Russian Navy. Address: St. Petersburg, Sredne-Nevsky Shipyard. Missile boats are equipped with tactical cruise missiles "Caliber", which is produced in Yekaterinburg. On the same basis, underwater, surface, air and ground-based complexes were developed, as well as export options. It is these weapons that Russia, India and China use.
Data on the export version was officially disclosed, so we can say about the ultimate range of such a missile. It ranges from two hundred and seventy to three hundred kilometers. However, back in 2012, a meeting was held between Sergei Akleminsky, the vice admiral who at that time commanded the Caspian flotilla, with the president of Dagestan, where other figures were voiced. S. Akleminsky confidently stated that in its tactical version the cruise missile of the ZM14 complex (Caliber) easily hit targets located at a distance of more than two and a half thousand kilometers. Twenty-six accurate shots at the target in Syria and then another eighteen equally successful indicate that the Vice Admiral did not mislead anyone. Ships and ships from which the blow was struck are the Caspian flotilla of the Russian Navy, its address has not changed, it has not left the Caspian.
How to divide the Caspian
Five countries divide the shores of the Caspian Sea: Russia, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and Iran. Previously, during the USSR, there were only two countries claiming the largest lake in the world - the Soviet Union and Iran. Changing the political map greatly complicated the situation. This region is extremely important for each of the above countries, it includes biological and energy resources, there are large reserves of gas and oil, as well as ninety percent of the world's sturgeon. At present, the Caspian is not divided between riparian countries, except for economic zones and territorial waters. This provision does not satisfy either side. Each wants by hook or by crook to get as much territory as possible. Our interests in the Caspian Sea are protected by the Caspian flotilla of the Russian Navy. The photo shows that this protection is quite powerful.
For a very long time, the Russian Federation insisted that the Caspian be a kind of condominium, the common property of all five states, when each one's actions are coordinated with the others. It was not possible to reach an understanding, and Moscow changed its position, proposing to divide the seabed along the midlines that extend the boundaries on land, and the thickness of the sea will be common. Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan agreed to such a section. However, Azerbaijan wants to take possession of not only the bottom, but also the water area with the airspace of its sector. Iran likes sharing evenly - each country has twenty percent. Turkmenistan insists on forty-seven miles of economic interest zones. In a word, there is no agreement yet. This is due to the fact that several countries are applying for recently discovered deposits at once. Moreover, it is difficult to draw borders on the lake, where the water level is variable, and the banks change their shape all the time.
Causes of tension
All states of the Caspian region are increasing armaments and increasing the combat strength of their military fleets. Rocket ships are growing in number, and submarines are expected to appear. Both sabotage and anti-sabotage units are being developed, as well as missile systems on shore, marines and aviation. This is unanimously said by experts in the analytical center for world arms trade. The Caspian flotilla of the Russian Navy is also increasing its armaments: the marines, aviation, communications, and armaments - all this receives replenishment and additions. And what if the neighbors answer the question "why?" Russia gets very slurred, and the quantity and quality of the naval forces at the same time they are growing non-stop.
Threats from the Caspian are very great, according to the Caspian countries. This is smuggling, drug trafficking, poaching and, of course, terrorism. Of course, each point of these explanations is quite relevant, especially since modern smugglers, poachers, and even more so terrorists are now equipped with the latest science and technology. But how can rocket ships and submarines with nuclear warheads on board be used against a poacher? Of course, such weapons are intended for a more serious enemy. This can only mean one thing: the political contradictions that create such high tension throughout the region will not be resolved soon.
Intensity increased
In the summer of 2016, the number of campaigns in which the ships of the Black Sea Fleet and the Caspian Flotilla of the Russian Navy participated significantly increased. Astrakhan, which is the main base for the flotilla, took part in the development of training plans and the implementation of joint combat training tasks. The composition of the tactical groups was different; artillery and missile firing was carried out involving up to twenty vessels and support ships.
Competitions of the international army games "Sea Derby", "Depth" and "Sea Cup" were held. Over 197 thousand nautical miles have been covered, that is, over 336,000 kilometers. The time spent at sea by the crews was 2300 days, that is, last year's figures were almost doubled.
Teachings 2016
Only one June training camp in the Caspian lasted two weeks. The units of warships and the support vessels attached to them returned from a sea voyage along the central and southern parts of the Caspian Sea. For fifteen days the Caspian flotilla of the Russian Navy performed its tasks. Makhachkala and Astrakhan received ships at their bases that covered almost two thousand miles (3,600 kilometers of the sea route) and completed more than fifty different naval exercises in their focus and themes.
Joint maneuvering, the interaction of a detachment of ships improved, the movement of various systems worked out. Artillery firing, exercises on mine protection, air defense in cooperation with aviation, search and tracking of sea and air targets, guidance of aviation with further destruction of the target were carried out. Refueling on the go with fuels and lubricants, replenishment of inventories with the help of support vessels were worked out. And this is just one trip. And the exercises continued throughout the spring-summer season.
Good news
The Caspian Flotilla replenished the rescue tugboat in July 2016. SB-738 perfectly withstood state tests: power plants operate reliably, navigation equipment and other systems have shown their best side. The entire set of adjustment and control of the emergency and rescue kit was successfully completed, search, survey and diving operations were carried out at different depths, seaworthiness, controllability, propulsion, stability, and inertia were tested at all running modes.
The vessel took part in naval exercises for its main purpose - extinguishing fires on shore and in emergency vessels with assistance to victims, including medical, and evacuation of people. All characteristics of the vessel are confirmed and meet the technical conditions. The Caspian flotilla included another ship unit in its composition to the other two completed on the same project. Now, one tugboat will scoop up ships on the Black Sea, and two on the Caspian. And also to extinguish fires, supply electricity, keep emergency ships afloat, perform diving operations, collect spilled oil products from the surface of the water, and carry out survey and prospecting works.