Putin Re-Creating_Soviet

Russian President Vladimir Putin has stumbled for the first time since taking office as president of Russia. And, according to most accounts he stumbled badly. While making dashing and brilliant moves in the southern republics, in the oil tensions with the West, and on economic recovery, Putin blew it when it came to seeing the priority of the sinking and then allowing his commanders to cover up the seriousness of what had happened by trying to blame it on a collision with another sub. But did he really blow it, or was he caught between two critically important matters?

Putin was busy re-creating the Soviet Union

So why did it take so long for Putin to respond? He happened to be quietly chairing the Commonwealth of Independent Nations (CIS) meeting, according to WorldNetDaily (WND) on August 22. "Russian President Vladimir Putin -- the acknowledged leader of the CIS -- was forced to attend to the increasingly dire news regarding the sunken Russian submarine, the Kursk", according to WND. According to the WND account, this was no business as usual meeting.

The meeting was designed to develop a strategy to carve out a power position in the September 6 UN Millennium Forum. This was a major meeting that would define Russia’s future for a long time. It was enormous news and yet received no press coverage. As tragic as the sinking of the Kursk was, the long-term implications of the CIS meeting were far more important than the sinking of the Kursk. Yet, the press was completely mesmerized by the Kursk. Although the military brass initially reverted to their Soviet style stonewalling, denial, and passing the buck, once Putin put his full attention to the disaster, the stonewalling stopped (mostly) and the military actually asked for foreign assistance. Putin certainly did not stumble as badly as he has been accused.

The deadly mission of the Kursk

Nonetheless, the sinking of the Kursk does have important ramifications. The Kursk was just one of 6 Oscar II missile submarines. And it was lethal. It carries 24 of her main killer, the Chelomey Granit missile, NATO code-named SS-N-19 Shipwreck. The missiles are stored on each side of the huge submarine in banks of 12, hidden between the layers of the boat's thick twin hull skin. The Shipwreck missiles are stored in launching tubes external to the inner pressure hull where the 118 crew members worked and lived. The Shipwreck is intended to strike U.S. carriers but can also be targeted against U.S. cities. Russian naval sources indicate that the Shipwreck missile can be armed with an H-bomb warhead equal to one half million tons of TNT, more than enough to flatten Los Angeles or New York City.

That fateful morning the Kursk reportedly completed a successful firing of the Shipwreck missile. In the dim afternoon light of the arctic summer sun, the Kursk began her last performance, the simulated destruction of a U.S. submarine using the 100-RU Veder missile. The Veder, NATO code-named SS-N-16A Stallion, is a rocket-boosted torpedo. The Stallion is launched from the huge 26-inch diameter torpedo tubes installed on each Oscar II class submarine. The mini-torpedo then uses its own little parachute, slowing to drop gently into the water directly above the target. The mini-torpedo then homes in on the target submarine for the final kill. Pictures of the damage suggest the Veder (Stallion) missile malfunctioned blowing a hole clear along the port side of the sub from the torpedo ports to the conning tower.

But how did it happen? There were reports that there were civilians on board helping the crew with the top secret Veder missile tests. One theory goes that these civilians somehow messed up. But another interesting possibility came out on Wednesday, August 23. Chechen rebels claimed they sabotaged the Kursk. The report was carried by many newspapers and for several days. The Chechens provided details of how it was done, which could be true. But what is most interesting is that the rebels claimed their responsibility in the sinking of this sub while they denied responsibility in the apartment bombings last fall that led to the attack by Russia on Chechnya. For more information see the analysis in the August issue of DTT Digest.

Russia’s future more important than the Kursk

Perhaps one of the most stunning results from the August 18 CIS meeting in Yalta, Ukraine is the bold proclamation in the joint statement that "Regional and sub-regional integration is all-important ... because it helps tackle social and economic problems." The meeting shows a clear direction of reforming the old Soviet republics back into a close political union with Russia. If there is any doubt remaining, the CIS said that the unity confirms, according to WND, "Moscow's recent boast that Western attempts, especially by NATO, to lessen Russia's hold on the nations of the CIS have failed.... The Central Asian republics are joining with Moscow in a common power grid that will stretch from Europe far into Asia. The Caucasus republics of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia are also joining in a common power grid with Russia."

There had been growing evidence that Ukraine and the Central Asian republics east of the Caspian Sea were reuniting with Russia. However, this is the first time that Azerbaijan and Georgia are mentioned as joining with Russia. Azerbaijan and Georgia have been holdouts, even seeming to make advances towards NATO protection from Russia. Georgia insulted Russia by allowing NATO officials to review a Russian air base for a possible NATO base just a few days after Russia had pulled out its troops from the base.

If Russia has convinced or coerced Azerbaijan and Georgia into the Russian camp, it will be a real coo. The August DTT Digest details the major East-West intrigue and tensions over these two republics as the West attempts to build an oil-pipeline from the Caspian Sea, across Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey to the Mediterranean Sea. By building the pipeline, the West would be stealing what Russia believes to be her oil, condemning Russia to a poor country cousin in the emerging world government and denying it forevermore of achieving the greatness it once had under Soviet rule. If Russia has secured Azerbaijan and Georgia, it will indeed have a powerful hand to play in the September 6-8 Millennium Summit. V mc