TALLINN, March 16 – Sputnik. Russian reconnaissance ship The Viktor Leonov has returned to waters off the US east coast after a brief stop to refuel and resupply in Havana last week, Fox News reported, citing official sources.
The ship was spotted by the US military approximately 37 kilometers southeast of the Kings Bay base in Georgia and was heading north. Kings Bay is home to submarines of the US Navy's Atlantic Fleet. The base is assigned to submarines carrying Florida and Georgia cruise missiles, as well as submarines carrying ballistic missiles Alaska, Tennessee, West Virginia, Maryland, Rhode Island, Wyoming.
According to a statement from the US military, the Russian ship remained in international waters and did not enter US territorial waters, which end 22.2 kilometers from the coast.
Fox News previously reported that the SSV-175 Viktor Leonov ship was spotted off the east coast of the United States on the morning of February 14. With reference to American officials, the TV channel reported that the ship was several tens of kilometers from the border. territorial waters USA. Moreover, it was allegedly equipped with reconnaissance equipment and surface-to-air missiles.
The Pentagon said it was not concerned about the ship's appearance, but was monitoring its movements.
Later, President Donald Trump commented on the appearance of the ship near the US borders. At a press conference on February 16, he said that he would not shoot at a Russian ship.
"I'd like to get along with Russia... I know politically that's not a good thing. A great thing I could do would be to shoot at a ship that's 30 miles out of our waters. And then everyone would say: “It’s great, it’s great.” But it’s not great,” Trump commented on the message.
Trump also rejected speculation that Russia was allegedly “testing” him by increasing military activity.
“Not good,” Trump responded when a journalist at a news conference began listing the latest incidents of Russian military activity. In particular, the media representative mentioned the approach of a Russian Navy ship to the shores of the United States and the flight of Russian military aircraft over a US ship in the Black Sea.
“If I were rude to Russia now... you would say: “He’s so tough.” Everything you mentioned happened in Lately, because perhaps (Russian President Vladimir) Putin believes that he cannot come to an agreement with me, because for me it is politically unpopular to negotiate (with the Russian Federation)," Trump said. “I don’t think Putin is testing me,” - added the American president.
This is not the first time that the Viktor Leonov ship has been spotted near the United States and in the Western Atlantic. A year earlier, the Viktor Leonov participated in a joint exercise with the Venezuelan Navy and repeatedly visited the Cuban port of Havana.
Ship voyages do not depend on US elections
The voyages of Russian and American reconnaissance ships do not depend on the political situation and results election campaign in USA. This opinion was expressed to RIA Novosti by the former commander of the Baltic Fleet (2001-2006), Admiral Vladimir Valuev.
“American reconnaissance ships go where there are US interests. Accordingly, Russian ones are sent to where it is necessary to clarify the operational situation. Our ship sails, as they say, in neutral waters, does not approach anyone, does not violate anything, and does not create any threats to maneuvering ", said Valuev.
According to him, this is a common maritime practice.
“This practice does not depend on who is the President of the United States of America. The Russian Navy and the US Navy carry out their tasks regardless of the political situation, in particular, the election of Donald Trump as head American state", noted the admiral.
“For example, the Norwegian reconnaissance ship Maryata has been, as they say, day and night for decades at the exit from the Northern Fleet base - controlling who is leaving, and, most importantly, clarifying why she is leaving. Representatives of the navies of NATO member states are especially interested Russian ships, entering combat service,” added Valuev.
Scout ships
According to open sources, the SSV-175 Viktor Leonov medium reconnaissance ship is the seventh in the Project 864 series (NATO reporting name: Vishnya Class). It entered service in 1988 and is part of the Northern Fleet. Main characteristics: total displacement 3800 tons, length 91.5 meters, beam 14.5 meters, draft 5.6 meters, maximum speed speed 16 knots, cruising range 7000 miles, endurance 45 days, crew 220 people.
Reconnaissance ships of the Russian Navy are constantly present in the most remote areas of the World Ocean, ensuring national security and favorable conditions for economic development countries. Especially in the Maritime Doctrine of the Russian Federation, two directions are highlighted - Atlantic and Arctic. The first is due to active development NATO and its approach to Russian borders.
Russian reconnaissance ships do not have strike weapons on board and do not pose direct threats to any country in the world. They can equally successfully study ocean migration biological resources, the topography of the seabed and areas where mineral deposits occur, as well as create individual “acoustic portraits” of surface ships and submarines of a potential enemy.
Another important area of research is marine hydrology.
The complex hydrological map of the World Ocean requires regular updates, because the density (salinity) and temperature of water, sea currents - all of this affects the propagation of electromagnetic waves in a variable environment, that is, the detection range and accuracy of hitting targets.
The US and NATO navies also have a flotilla of reconnaissance ships that often find themselves close to Russian shores. For example, the USS Mount Whitney, a ship of the US Navy's Sixth Fleet, is closely studying the Black Sea.
On Tuesday, US media reported a Russian warship in international waters off the US coast. According to unnamed American officials, the Russian Navy “spy ship” Viktor Leonov was discovered 130 km off the coast of Delaware (the US border is 22 km from the coast).
This is not the first time that Viktor Leonov’s high-tech electronic intelligence equipment has alarmed the Pentagon.
Why do ships of this class ply the world's oceans and how important is the Viktor Leonov's connection to the United States and the state of Delaware?
Not the ghost of aggression
The world's oceans are the heritage of all humanity. Russia reflected its goals and its position in the Naval Doctrine, taking into account the naval strategies of the United States and. According to the doctrine, the Navy is the basis of Russia's maritime potential, and naval activities are classified as the highest state priorities.
For a number of reasons, Russia has particularly highlighted two directions - the Atlantic and the Arctic. Atlantic - in connection with the active development of NATO and its approach to Russian borders. Therefore, reconnaissance ships of the Russian Navy are constantly present in the most remote areas of the World Ocean, ensuring national security and favorable conditions for the economic development of the country. - not our choice, but Russia is ready for it.
© AP Photo/Desmond Boylan Reconnaissance ship SSV-175 "Viktor Leonov"
© AP Photo/Desmond Boylan
Partnership Efforts
The US and NATO navies also operate a flotilla of reconnaissance ships that often find themselves close to Russian shores. For example, the US Navy Sixth Fleet ship USS Mount Whitney is being closely studied.
US aerospace intelligence is also increasing its efforts near Russia’s borders. Thus, on February 13, the US Air Force strategic reconnaissance aircraft RC-135W (aircraft 62-4138) and the US Navy anti-submarine patrol aircraft P-8A Poseidon (aircraft 168860) conducted operational reconnaissance near the Kaliningrad region and Crimea.
The RC-135W reconnaissance aircraft from Mildenhall airbase in the UK approached the Russian land border at a distance of 55 km and the main base of the Russian Baltic Fleet at a distance of about 80 km. The second reconnaissance aircraft, a P-8A Poseidon, from Sigonella Air Base in Sicily, carried out an operational mission over the Black Sea southwest of Sevastopol.
Obviously, to reduce suspicion and strengthen security, the West must first abandon its anti-Russian policy and strengthen the eastern flank of NATO.
The American analytical publication The National Interest notes: " Government bodies, analyzing threats national security, are too fixated on Russia, and this is the result of a not entirely sober analysis<…>Although Russia poses a serious espionage threat to the United States, this threat is only one of many national security challenges<…>
Escalating tensions with Russia prevent the United States from acting effectively in various areas<…>Russia has a unique opportunity - it can prevent the actions of the United States in many parts of the world, it constantly and deliberately counters American initiatives in order to achieve the opportunity to come to the negotiating table."
Perhaps reasonable people in Washington and Moscow will find a common language for constructive interaction, and the World Ocean will gradually turn into a zone of peace. In the meantime, we keep our gunpowder dry and develop reconnaissance technologically: the Russian Navy has begun testing the latest remote-controlled uninhabited underwater vehicle " ".
In the United States, the concept regarding the Russian reconnaissance ship Viktor Leonov has changed. A couple of days ago, the Pentagon claimed that the ship was equipped with high-tech spy equipment. Now, as it turns out, “Viktor Leonov” is evidence of Russia’s weakness.
The appearance of a ship off the Atlantic coast of the United States on Tuesday was reported by a TV channel. Fox News. "Viktor Leonov" was spotted in the area where one of the air force bases is located. Of course, the ship is in international waters. At the same time it was said that the presence of “Viktor Leonov” did not cause much concern, but he was being monitored. In general, a standard situation, nothing special. Exactly the same American ships appear off the coast of Russia, and US and NATO aircraft constantly conduct reconnaissance near the Russian borders.
But for some reason the movements of “Viktor Leonov” are being watched especially closely this time. This is connected with recent statements by Washington about Crimea. They say Moscow didn’t like it, so Russian planes started flying over American destroyer Porter in the Black Sea to fly, and the ship was therefore sent to the US coast (teleported, it must be).
Last Thursday, US President Donald Trump considered it necessary to mention “Viktor Leonov.” "I don't have to tell you what I'm going to do with North Korea. And I don't have to tell you what I'm going to do with Iran. Do you know why? Because they shouldn't know that. And when you ask me what I am going to do with the Russian ship, I will not answer you. I hope I won’t do anything, but I won’t tell you,” he said.
And now it turns out that the Russian ship is evidence of Russia’s weakness. TV channel NBC refers to the opinion of a coast guard officer who said that Russian electronic equipment is outdated and is only capable of picking up radio signals from ships, shore, and commercial radio transmissions. "I hope they enjoy listening to (the radio) Classic 101" said the anonymous officer.
Another interlocutor of the TV channel consoled his compatriots. According to him, Viktor Leonov’s equipment demonstrates the primitiveness of Russian electronic wiretapping and these technologies lag far behind American ones.
“The ship specializes in listening to radio transmissions, not digital communications, which makes it useless in collecting any military intelligence,” the “specialist” said.
But a couple of days ago, commentators in the United States noted the ability of the Viktor Leonov to intercept messages and measure the capabilities of the US Navy's sonars.
“This is a ship that not only writes sound profiles of all submarines and ships (to make it easier to determine the combat automated control systems of our fleet), but also writes all radio emissions, electromagnetic emissions - radars, air defense, missiles, ships, aircraft, the parameters of which are usually monitored by reconnaissance are chasing. No, if the United States has learned to speak between warships and aircraft using invisible plasma, or their locators, air defense, etc. do not “beam”, but work on “dissolving the air” - then the ship is outdated. And so what the heck,” told Pravda.Ru retired captain 1st rank of the Northern Fleet Vladislav Ershevsky.
According to military expert Viktor Murakhovsky, who spoke with Pravda.Ru, the United States has a certain advantage. “They have a fairly powerful satellite constellation, so radio reconnaissance can be carried out from orbit. But you need to understand that these are only certain wavelengths and certain means of communication are intercepted. If we talk about VHF radio communications, about radio relay communications, then you cannot catch such things from space ", - he said.
That’s why the Americans launch their reconnaissance assets near the borders with Russia, and E-2 long-range radar detection aircraft periodically fly along our borders, noted Viktor Murakhovsky.
“And they have radio and electronic reconnaissance ships that are trying to operate closer to our borders in the Baltic Sea and Black Sea,” he added.
According to him, “the effectiveness of radio reconnaissance is largely determined not by the novelty of the equipment, but by the qualifications of the specialists.” “In the field of decryption and cryptography, we are quite at the world level, and in some areas we are ahead of the rest of the planet. As for specialists, ours are head and shoulders above the American ones. Our radio intelligence, for example, in Syria is now monitoring all radio networks of militants. Specialists are needed there who know 11 languages. And we are successfully coping with this,” emphasized Viktor Murakhovsky.
All of the above said by our experts, however, in no way prevents the “Viktor Leonov” team from listening to American radio stations. Why not combine business with pleasure?
A new reason for speculation about the “Russian threat” has appeared in the American media.
According to the channel's sources, the Russian ship returned to the shores of the United States after a short stop in Havana. In February 2017, the Viktor Leonov was spotted near the port of Norfolk in Virginia.
The ship does not commit any violations of established norms, the Americans admit, it is in international waters.
Such trips to the shores of America are not an extraordinary event, just as there is nothing extraordinary in the similar appearance of similar US Navy ships in the area of the Russian coast. However, in the United States and other Western countries, the appearance of Russian ships and aircraft is causing an unhealthy stir.
Project 864
"Viktor Leonov" is a medium reconnaissance ship of Project 864.
This type of third-generation reconnaissance ship was the last one developed and implemented in the USSR. Created to solve problems in the sea and near ocean zones, the ships of the project became the basis of the Russian reconnaissance fleet.
A total of 7 ships were planned and built. Construction took place in 1985 - 1988 in Poland, at the Gdansk shipyard named after Heroes Westerplatte. The lead ship of the project was the Meridian air defense missile system, now called Admiral Fedor Golovin.
“Viktor Leonov” became the last ship of the project, and when laid down it received the name “Odograph”. After the transfer to the USSR Navy, it became part of the Black Sea Fleet. In 1995, the ship was transferred to the Northern Fleet, where it became part of the 159th brigade of reconnaissance ships.
The ship's total displacement is 3396 tons, length - 94.4 meters, width - 14.6 meters, draft - 4.5 meters. Speed full speed- 16.5 knots, cruising range - 7900 miles, crew - 150 people (maximum - 220).
The ship's armament is the AK-306M artillery system. For air defense, the ship is equipped with Igla MANPADS. The ammunition load consists of 16 9M39 anti-aircraft guided missiles.
“Proof of weakness” or demonstration of strength?
The main part of the ship is its radio-technical weapons, the exact information about which is classified.
IN last years all ships of the project underwent a deep modernization, during which they were equipped with the most the latest equipment, allowing you to perform both reconnaissance and ocean exploration missions.
The Americans don’t know what kind of equipment is on the Viktor Leonov, which is why their mood when the ship appears off the coast of the United States changes from mocking to panic.
So, in February, NBC News journalists described the ship as outdated in their material. “This is proof of Russia’s weakness compared to the United States. This shows how far behind the US the Russians are in the area of electronic eavesdropping. The ship specializes in listening to radio signals, not digital communications, so it is effectively unable to intercept any sensitive military or intelligence communications,” an anonymous Coast Guard official said in a commentary at the time.
But if a worthless vessel floats off the coast of the United States, the question arises: why is so much attention paid to it?
In fact, Project 864 ships are capable of collecting “noise profiles” of surface and underwater objects based on radiation parameters sound waves in the water column. Thus, a database is compiled for ships of NATO countries, which is subsequently transferred to the hydroacoustics of all ships of the Russian Navy. This allows you to accurately identify an object at a great distance without visual contact with it. And this is just one of the “skills” that Russian ships of this type possess.
"Seventh Visit to Havana"
IN Soviet times Project 864 ships sailed the seas as “oceanographic research vessels conducting research on the World Ocean for peaceful purposes.” As already mentioned, ships are capable of solving such problems. Although what the Viktor Leonov is actually doing off the coast of the United States now is known only to its crew and the high command of the fleet that set the task for the campaign.
As TASS reported, on March 8, 2017, the communications vessel of the Russian Northern Fleet “Viktor Leonov” entered the port of Havana. As a representative of the ship's command staff told a TASS correspondent, the purpose of the Viktor Leonov's visit was to replenish supplies. “The ship will stay in the Havana port for three days, after which it will continue to perform tasks to provide communications in the Western Atlantic,” the agency’s interlocutor noted. “Viktor Leonov” set out on a sea voyage at the end of 2016 from Severomorsk, where the main base of the Northern Fleet is located. He is expected to return there in May. This is the seventh visit of “Viktor Leonov” to Havana over the past nine years.
Who is Viktor Leonov?
As already mentioned, the ship was originally called “Odograph”, and in 2004 it was renamed “Viktor Leonov”, in honor of the hero of the Great Patriotic War who died in 2003. Patriotic War.
Viktor Leonov - commander of separate reconnaissance detachments of the Northern and Pacific fleets, twice Hero Soviet Union.
Leonov received his first Hero star for capturing an enemy 88-mm battery at Cape Krestovoy during the Petsamo-Kirkene offensive operation. Thanks to the actions of Leonov's detachment, the success of the Soviet landing in the ice-free port of Linahamari and the subsequent liberation of Petsamo (Pechenga) and Kirkenes were ensured. Viktor Leonov received the second Hero star for battles with the Japanese in Far East. In the Korean port of Wonsan, Leonov's scouts captured 3,500 Japanese soldiers and officers. And in the port of Genzan, Leonov’s detachment disarmed and captured about 2,000 soldiers and 200 officers, capturing 3 artillery batteries, 5 aircraft, and several ammunition depots.
11.05.2017 11:53
This Russian sailor forced a huge enemy garrison to surrender
In February 2017, the Russian reconnaissance ship Viktor Leonov was discovered off the coast of Norfolk, Virginia. This ship was named after one of the most famous heroes of Russia - twice Hero of the Soviet Union Viktor Leonov. For his outstanding military services, he was also awarded the Order of Lenin and two Orders of the Red Banner.
Reconnaissance ship "Viktor Leonov".
Leonov began his military career by serving on a Red Fleet submarine. Hitler's 1941 invasion of the Soviet Union forced him to change his specialty. He became a naval commando, a combat swimmer-saboteur, who carried out reconnaissance of positions, blew up Nazi ships and carried out subversive operations against enemy troops near the coastline - about 50 operations a year on the Eastern Front alone.
While fighting the Nazis, Leonov led combat groups that secretly captured anti-aircraft batteries, captured hundreds of enemy soldiers and officers and even conducted a two-day raid overland to capture fascist firing points and use them against other German artillery positions
Victor Leonov
After the Nazi surrender in May 1945, the Soviet Union declared war on Imperial Japan in the east, and Soviet special forces were the first to arrive in the new theater of operations. This is where Viktor Leonov struck fear into his enemies.
He landed at a Japanese airfield near the Korean port of Wonsan with a group of 140 people led by a high-ranking officer. The airfield was supposed to be poorly defended, but in fact it was garrisoned at 3,500 soldiers. Surrounded by vastly superior forces, 10 special forces officers were forced to surrender. Commander Russian army requested negotiations with the commander of the Japanese garrison. When the negotiations began, Leonov angrily interrupted them, saying: “We fought the entire war in the west and have enough experience to assess the situation, that we will not be hostages, but rather die, but we will die along with everyone who is at headquarters. The difference is, I added, that you will die like rats, and we will try to escape from here. He then pulled out a grenade and threatened to kill everyone, including his compatriots. The Japanese surrendered on the spot. The Russians captured 2,200 soldiers, three artillery batteries, five aircraft and a lot of ammunition. For this feat, First Lieutenant Viktor Leonov received a second Gold Star.
Origins
And it all started during the Great Patriotic War. At that time, the 181st reconnaissance detachment successfully operated in the Northern Fleet, carrying out various special operations behind enemy lines. The crowning achievement of this detachment’s activity was the capture of two coastal batteries at Cape Krestovoy (which blocked the entrance to the bay and could easily defeat an amphibious convoy) in preparation for the landing in the port of Liinakhamari (Murmansk region - editor's note). This, in turn, ensured the success of the Petsamo-Kirkenes landing operation, which became the key to success in the liberation of the entire Soviet Arctic. It’s hard to even imagine that a detachment of several dozen people, having captured just a few guns from German coastal batteries, actually ensured victory throughout strategic operation, but, nevertheless, this is so - this is why the reconnaissance detachment was created, in order to sting the enemy in the most vulnerable place with small forces...
Leonov Viktor Nikolaevich - commander of separate reconnaissance detachments of the Northern and Pacific fleets.
Born on November 21, 1916 in the city of Zaraysk, Moscow Region, into a working-class family. Russian. Member of the CPSU(b)/CPSU since 1942. From 1931 to 1933, he studied at the factory school at the Moscow Kalibr plant, after which he worked as a mechanic, combining work with social activities: member of the Komsomol factory committee, chairman of the workshop committee of inventors, leader of the youth brigade.
In the ranks of the Navy since 1937.
He was drafted into the Northern Fleet, where he completed a training course in the underwater diving training squad named after S.M. Kirov in the city of Polyarny, Murmansk region, and was sent for further service to the submarine "Shch-402".
With the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, senior Red Navy man V.N. Leonov submitted a report on his enrollment in the 181st separate reconnaissance detachment of the Northern Fleet, in which, since July 18, 1941, he conducted about 50 combat operations behind enemy lines.
From December 1942, after assignment officer rank, junior lieutenant Leonov V.N. - deputy detachment commander for political affairs, and a year later, in December 1943 - commander of the 181st special reconnaissance detachment of the Northern Fleet. In April 1944 he was awarded military rank"lieutenant".
In October 1944, during the Petsamo-Kirkenes offensive operation Soviet troops, scouts under the command of V.N. Leonov landed on the enemy-occupied coast and spent two days making their way to the designated point in off-road conditions. On the morning of October 12, they suddenly attacked an enemy 88-mm battery at Cape Krestovy, captured it, and captured it. big number Nazis. When a boat with Hitler’s landing party appeared, together with the detachment of Captain Barchenko-Emelyanov I.P. repelled enemy attacks, capturing about 60 Nazis. Thus, Leonov’s detachment, through its actions, created favorable conditions for the landing of Soviet troops in the ice-free port of Liinakhamari and the subsequent liberation of Petsamo (Pechenga) and Kirkenes.
By decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of November 5, 1944, for the exemplary performance of combat missions of the command behind enemy lines and the courage and heroism displayed, Lieutenant Viktor Nikolaevich Leonov was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union with the Order of Lenin and the Gold Star medal (No. 5058).
Upon completion of the defeat of Nazi Germany, war for front-line intelligence officer V.N. Leonov. didn't end. It continued in the Far East, where a separate reconnaissance detachment of the Pacific Fleet under his command was the first to land in the ports of Racine, Seisin and Genzon.
One of the most “high-profile” cases of V.N. Leonov’s detachment. - capture of about three and a half thousand Japanese soldiers and officers in the Korean port of Wonsan. And in the port of Genzon, Leonov’s scouts disarmed and captured about two thousand soldiers and two hundred officers, capturing 3 artillery batteries, 5 aircraft, and several ammunition depots.
By decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR dated September 14, 1945, senior lieutenant Viktor Nikolaevich Leonov was awarded the second Gold Star medal.
After the Great Patriotic War, V.N. Leonov continued to serve in the Navy. Since February 1946 – student of parallel classes of the Caspian Higher naval school. From September to November 1950 V.N. Leonov was at the disposal of the 2nd Main Directorate of the Marine General Staff, from November 1950 to August 1951 he was a senior officer of the 2nd direction of the 3rd directorate of the 2nd Main Directorate of the Naval General Staff. In 1953 V.N. Leonov served as a senior officer of the 3rd department, then as a senior officer of the 3rd direction of the 2nd department of the Main Headquarters of the Navy. Documents stored in the Central Naval Archive indicate that from December 12, 1953 to July 18, 1956 V.N. Leonov was a student at the K.E. Naval Academy. Voroshilov.
By order of the Commander-in-Chief of the Navy in 1956, Captain 2nd Rank Viktor Nikolaevich Leonov was transferred to the reserve.
He is the author of the memoirs “Face to Face” (1957), “Prepare for a Feat Today” (1973), “Lessons in Courage” (1975) and other books dedicated to naval reconnaissance officers.
Twice Hero of the Soviet Union, retired captain 1st rank Leonov Viktor Nikolaevich died in Moscow on October 7, 2003 (on the day of the 59th anniversary of the start of the Petsamo-Kirkenes offensive operation).