Ria Columnist: Admiral Kuznetsov Aircraft Carrier Is Directed Against 'The Terrorists More Technologically Advanced Puppet Masters [The West]'

The Admiral Kuznetsov continues to arouse concerns in NATO. The Russian fleet was supposed to refuel in to the Spanish autonomous port Ceuta. The Spanish Foreign Ministry said that Madrid was considering granting the Admiral Kuznetsov access to Ceuta port on October 28-November 2. However, due to NATO's pressure on Madrid, Russia withdrew the request for its aircraft carrier group to be refueled in Ceuta. An official of the Russian Embassy in Spain told Ria.ru: "We confirm that the ships will not enter the Ceuta port because the route has changed."[1] However, the Russian Defense Ministry's spokesman, Major-General Igor Konashenkov, said the Defense Ministry filed "no requests to the Spanish authorities," concerning the refueling stop at the Ceuta port. He then specified: "the Russian aircraft carrier group is fully supplied with material stocks for the mission pursuit in the off-shore maritime zone in autonomous mode." Concerning NATO, Konashenkov said: "The Spanish authorities told [Russian Defense Ministry] that Russian vessels' call at the Ceuta port is inappropriate due to the pressure on Spain exerted by the US and NATO, this situation in no way affects the mission plan of the naval group."[2]  

Twitter.com/Sandy_mustache, October 22, 2016.

Opposition Twitter account, Sandy Mustache, portrays the Admiral Kuznetsov billowing smoke as it passed close to the Strait of Dover. The smoke issuing from the Admiral Kuznetsov is in the  shape of the USSR's map. 

The president of the socio-political research center "Aspect", Georgi Fedorov, said that since Ceuta has an autonomous status, NATO should have not interfered in the refueling of the Russian fleet. Fedorov stated: "NATO acts as a big organized crime group, which controls vast territories and enjoys military-political power. Thus, one should not have been under the illusion that an autonomous port-city may have avoided [NATO's] 'protection.' It was obvious that everything possible would be done, in order to make things harder on the lives of our crews. I think, in a short time, we'll figure out where else [the crew members] may get supplies and fuel."[3]  It is worth noting that on October 27, Malta's Foreign Minister George Vella said that the Russian flotilla will not be refueled in Malta. Vella said: "What is being made clear is that Malta will not be party to the obscenities being committed in Aleppo." However, Vella did not confirm or deny that a request was made by Moscow for a fleet stopover in Malta.[4]

(Source: Twitter.com/MFAMalta, October 27, 2016.)

Discussing NATO's concerns that Admiral Kuznetsov may be used to carry out airstrikes on Aleppo,[5] Andrey Kelin, director of the European cooperation department of the Russian Foreign Ministry, said: "The carrier group is heading for the Mediterranean. We always had a presence there. [NATO Secretary General Jens] Stoltenberg's suspicions [that carrier jets will carry out airstrikes in Aleppo] are groundless. What is the purpose of constructing such nebulous allegations and the predicating political recommendations on those allegations? That's ridiculous."[6]  

(Source: Ria.ru, October 27, 2016.)

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg is worried of the Russian fleet. 

In an analysis on the Admiral Kuznetsov's future role in Syria, RIA news columnist Aleksandr Khrolenko wrote:  "Moscow is back to the Middle East. It's now serious and for a long period. Russian missile vessels and submarines are on combat duty 24/7 - i.e. constantly ready for a fight." Khrolenko added that the Admiral Kuznetsov as well as the atomic destroyer Peter the Great's weapons are excessive for threats emerging from terrorists in Syria - thus those weapons "are intended" for the terrorists' "more technologically advanced puppet masters," i.e. the West. He further stated that in Aleppo terrorists are getting ground support from approximately 4 or 5 thousand US Special Forces servicemen and some European countries.  The author elaborated that given the Kuznetsov's and Peter the Great's military capabilities, Russia may proclaim a "no-fly zone" over all Syrian territory, and NATO members would not have an adequate response for that. According to the author, "the hot heads" in West will adopt a more accommodating position towards Russia, since no one wants a direct confrontation with nuclear armed Russia.[7]     

It is worth noting that the Russian daily Izvestia published an article, titled "Russia to test long range rockets in Syria". According to the article, Ka-52 combat helicopters on the board of Admiral Kuznetsov are supposed to test fire "Hermes" anti-tank self-guided missiles with a range of 30 kilometers. This test fire should prove the missiles combat operational capability. According to a quoted unidentified source in the Russian defense industry the test fire was supposed to be conducted earlier by Ka-52 already deployed to Syria, but due to some technical issues it was decided to test fire the missiles under the more complex conditions of ship hosted weaponry. Testing the weapons in Middle Eastern waters could also provide an effective sales demonstration to potential clients such as Egypt.[8]

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