It is splendid news that the trapped Russian submariners have been rescued from the dreadful fate that overtook the Kursk a few years ago. Fortunately the Russians did not stand on their pride as they did the last time they suffered a sub-aquatic disaster. This time they seem to have fairly quickly accepted the help that was offered to them by many navies around the world.
Although the Royal Navy’s robotic sub was the prime mover of this rescue, it was really a very international effort with the USA and Japan providing vital assistance in the rescue. Hopefully this more enlightened approach by the Russian government and military authorities admitting they could not effect the rescue themselves is a sign of institutional change at the top, but the cynic in me wonders if it was not just a domestic political calculation that the embarrassment at having to have their submariners rescued by Western naval personnel represented less political damage than another scene on the television of angry family members on the dockside grieving over their dead sons.
Perry – You’re probably right, and yet the fact that they have all been rescued, alive and well, and could walk off that submarine will reflect well on the Russian government as well, don’t you think? Some of the glory of the rescue will rub off on the government – even the fact that they were able to call on the British and Americans as friends.
No grieving widows this time round; no distraught children. A lot of this will domestically go to Russia’s credit I think. The leaders in the papers will complain, but I think the fact that the government did the right thing will count with Russia’s general public.
My major, major gripe is how Yahoo and others covered this. They had 119 photographs, many of them repeats, in their slide show, and not one – NOT ONE – of our Glasgow designed and built robot and no reference to the British who deployed it. One hundred and nineteen photographs and it was all America, America, America. That makes me sick. Without our robot and our Royal Navy, those men would have died.
There is a good post about this on the EU Referendum Blog.
It is also an example of the “Baseball Cricket Alliance”, that Jim Bennett has been talking about lately, e.g. here.
Finally, if cynical political calculation is causing the Soviet –oops, Russian — leadership to save lives rather than take them or just let people die, then I say bring on more such cynicism.
Whatever the politics of it were, it’s wonderful to see these guys rescued. Sailors of all nationalities have a common bond, whatever their political masters may say or do.
Amazing to see the joy and relief worldwide at this news.
I bet those Russian submariners are thankful that the UK isn’t part of a EU Defence Force now – they would most likely still be at the coffee and biscuits stage of deliberating whether to send a rescue sub out there or not.
“Some of the glory of the rescue will rub off on the government – even the fact that they were able to call on the British and Americans as friends.”
“The leaders in the papers will complain, but I think the fact that the government did the right thing will count with Russia’s general public.”
Perhaps, but this in no way redeems Russian government incompetence and their stupid behaviour
during the Kursk catastrophe. I would rather the Russian people did not give their government any credit at all – and instead credit the sailors who held it together the whole weekend whilst trapped, waiting for rescue.
“One hundred and nineteen photographs and it was all America, America, America.” But Verity, that’ll be consistent with the film, when Hollywood makes it.
I wonder how long it will be before that rescue submarine is decommissioned to save money?
What is excellent to see is that the Russians actually asked for help in time to save the sailors. (There are reports some in Russia are upset about this.) Anyway the end result is a good one…those submariners lives were saved.
verity-
if it makes you feel any better, cnn and the russian officials hardly mention america in the equation at all. all praise goes to britain and japan (though i still don’t know what their role was). it seems that america was unfashionably late to the party this time.
does anyone know who makes the super scorpio? i noticed that the u.s. and britain had the same kit.
Report I read somewhere said there were US divers in the water helping out in some capacity… perhaps assisting with deploying the robo-sub?
Too bad that the Russian’s new pals the Chicoms were unable to help out, no?
henry, It was a British company in Cumbria/Glasgow who developed and manufactured the Scorpio.
Given what they had endured physically and mentally for three days, I cannot imagine the strength of will it took those sailors to walk unaided off that sub. I am full of admiration for their bravery and pride. And their commander had the strength to stand to attention and salute. Gosh, it brought tears to my eyes. No one ever said the Russians are not brave!
Julian said
“I bet those Russian submariners are thankful that the UK isn’t part of a EU Defence Force now – they would most likely still be at the coffee and biscuits stage of deliberating whether to send a rescue sub out there or not.”
Too true. Under that scenario, we’d be lucky if a tentative decision to seek approval to open interagency discussions to consider requesting authorization to open preliminary discussions with the Russians were made by August 24th.
“RC Dean”‘s comment is on point. Do the Chinese really have no capability in this area? If not, they’d better develop it fast. Their submarine fleet consists entirely of imported hardware, as far as I know. Hard to imagine they’ve mastered submarine operations (and maintenance).
I’m inclined to think that the Kremlin’s actions in this case were motivated by security concerns. That little submersible is not a weapon. The Kursk, OTOH was a giant nuclear submarine, and doubtless Putin didn’t want any Western navies poking around on it. The weeping families of the consequently dead sailors? “Moscow does not believe in tears.”
I doubt anyone could have helped with the Kursk – the thing blew up and killed most of the crew immediately. Those that survived the blast didn’t last long in the totally disabled vehicle. This time, the sub itself was functional – albeit immobile. Still, ’twas a great job by the Brits – and a great aircraft that got the team there in time.
Sanity Inspector I love your movie reference. I always liked that movie even though it was kind of sappy. The sad thing is that this is exactly the sentiment sometimes.
BCN
All I heard was newsheads wondering, “Will our rescue mission get there in time?”
Very little mention of those others who were already there, working.
Kudos to the Royal Navy!!
i read a nyt online article earlier today about how u.s. air force transports had to fly to japan (after they had landed in russia, finding no suitable equipment to unload the kit) to get trucks big enough to unload the u.k./u.s. rescue equipment off of the c-5’s (sorry i can’t find the link).
russia’s armed forces have declined much more than i thought. where’d all that cold war machinery go? melted into beer cans?
US radio reports I heard did not mention the UK efforts at all! In fact, I’m not sure where I even hear about the Scorpio sub sent ahead of…Oh yes, first a US newspaper story explained how a crew from Scottland was expected to arrice on scene first, and then the BBC (on a US National Public Radio news channel).
The outcome had me wondering about the frequent US nglect that there was reace to rescue, and that the UK was FIRST out of the gate!
Well, weekend news, especially in August, is second stringer stuff – often neglected – but wasn’t I right to think that US media news judgements were daft in their neglect?
Hats off to British/Russian submariner rescue!!! Such good and happy news in a war and tsunami stress world news year….
Well, I look forward to reading a few mag spreads on this remarkable story with further details.
Orson Olson – What on earth was that all about?
BREAKING NWS:
apparently, a whistle-blower to a local readio station in Russia is responsible for the avalanche on the Russian government and military to do the right thing (as above)!
Chalk one up for transparancy – a western-Enlightenment virtue in society currently under serious threat in Russia
(Verity? It’s about US cultural isolation, breading neglect of the rest of th world – surely you’ve heard of this!)
LINK for above news story:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/russiamilitary
Glad to see Britain improving its relationship with Russia. When the rest of the world confronts the USA we’re going to need all the friends we can get.
Milner, you are delusional if you think ‘the rest of the world’ has any interest in ‘confronting’ the USA. Plus the USA were involved in the rescue.
How sweet, everybody patting themselves on the back, the backwards Russians saved once again, demockracy prevailed. Thank you Brits, any time you need to haul ass Very Quickly out of Iraq, just call Russan Air Force, or Volga-Dnepr Company, wink wink!
“a western-Enlightenment virtue in society currently under serious threat in Russia”
With wholehearted support by the population, to be added. Might have something to do with those high ratings for Putin The Terrible.