Whatever the Russian plans are for Ukraine, the Russian Navy is doing its best not to be left out of the effort.
Watching the OSNIT from the sidelines, I want to yell over to those forward deployed to do their best to remember all they can for they are probably seeing the end of an era – the last surge of the Soviet Navy.
Like an old dying star that will flash in to brilliance before dimming away in to obscurity, so too are the monster big-missile cruisers of the Soviet and now Russian Navy as all that can go to sea have gone to sea as part of the Ukraine crisis.
The Russians have two of the Kirov Class nuclear powered battle cruisers left. While the 34-yr old Admiral Nakhimov will be in the yards until 2023, her sister ship the 24-yr old Pyotr Velikiy is at sea;
Meanwhile, Russia’s Northern Fleet announced on Tuesday that it began military exercises in the Barents Sea with the participation of about 20 ships, including the Pyotr Veliky (Peter the Great) missile cruiser and the Admiral Gorshkov frigate.
“In the Barents Sea, the diverse forces of the Northern Fleet have begun to conduct a planned exercise under the leadership of the commander of the Northern Fleet … which is taking place in accordance with the training plan for the Russian armed forces for 2022,” the fleet told reporters.
The conventionally powered Soviet-era big-missile cruisers are the Slava Class. Three remain in commission.
The 40-yr old Moskva, part of the Black Sea Fleet is at sea leading her flotilla;
Moskva, departed Sevastopol on Feb. 10 with “over 30” other ships from the Black Sea Fleet to conduct “exercises” in the Black Sea.
The Northern Fleet’s 36-yr old Marshal Ustinov isn’t going to be left out of the party. Along with the Pacific Fleet’s Varyag, they both appear to be in the Eastern Mediterranean waiting to join the Moskva in the Black Sea.
The Russian MoD report said the Northern Fleet’s Marshal Ustinov, Admiral Kasatonov, and Vice-Admiral Kulakov took part in the exercise, but they weren’t in the video. Screenshots of the Varyag cruiser, Admiral Grigorovich frigate, and Admiral Tributs. 5/https://t.co/Na5kds8DPx pic.twitter.com/1oHCAXUnOJ
— Rob Lee (@RALee85) February 16, 2022
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We have not seen this number of red force shipping at sea since the high water mark of the Cold War. It is unlikely that we shall ever see it again.
The Russians may or may not build large cruisers at some point in the future, but only models and ideas for now … not unlike our “Large Surface Combatant.” For the next decade or perhaps two there may be one or two of these reminders of the Red Banner Fleet underway, but all at the same time?
No, this is a golden hour. If we can just avoid a war over the next few months, it might even be a fun time at sea keeping an eye on the Russian sea monsters after years of mind numbing BMD missions and rusting in place off Iran and Pakistan.
Mark your calendars. This is the last picture show.
