Lavrov speaks out against NATO at UN

[angelburst29]

Sat, Nov 10, 2018 - NATO's Trident Juncture Drill Takes Its Toll: Frigate Hit by Tanker Runs Aground to Prevent Sinking
NATO's Trident Juncture Drill Takes Its Toll: Frigate Hit by Tanker Runs Aground to Prevent Sinking

One of Norway's largest warships with a crew of 137

The crew of 137 are all evacuated from “KNM Helge Ingstad” the Joint Rescue Coordination Center of Southern Norway informs. Eight of the crew members got minor injuries, but are all safe, the Norwegian Navy informed at a press-conference.

The frigate is taking on lots of water, nearly capsizing, and was for long in danger of sinking.

Weather in the area is good and the frigate is on ground just by the shore. Like other naval vessels on duty, the frigate carry weapons, like missiles, torpedoes and depth charges.

The Aframax tanker “Sola TS”, is not in danger and no oil-spill is reported from the tanker. There are some 625,000 barrels of crude oil on board.

It was just after 4 am Norwegian time this morning the collision happened as the frigate was en route back to Haakonsvern naval base near Bergen after participating in the NATO exercise Trident Juncture. The exercise ended on November 7th.

At the time of collision, it was still dark.

“KNM Helge Ingstad” (F313) is one of the Norwegian navy’s five frigates of the Fridtjof Nansen class. The warship was launched in November 2007. The 134 meter long vessel is 5,290 tons with full load. The ship is named after the famous Norwegian Arctic explorer, like the other four frigates in the Norwegian navy.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1060467236874412032

https://twitter.com/x/status/1060490836813713408

Last year, “KNM Helge Ingstad” sailed the waters at Svalbard in the Norwegian Arctic and made port call to Longyearbyen. The ship has also been along the coast of Finnmark on several voyages in the Barents Sea.

In 2011, “KNM Helge Ingstad” made port call to Severomorsk, the main base of Russia’s Northern Fleet on the Kola Peninsula.

The tanker “Sola TS” was sailing from the oil terminal Sture.

Equinor, operator of the terminal informs that operations at the terminal are now shut-down in standard security procedures and the only workers still at the terminal are there to maintain safety.

Information about the cause of the collision is yet to be made public. Happening just outside Sture oil terminal, the accident raises a lot of questions. Here, the shipping is strictly controlled and oil tankers leaving the port are always followed by tugs and pilot.

A third vessel, a tug following the tanker, was near, but not directly involved in the collision.

Norwegian frigate takes on water after collision with oil tanker

 

[angelburst29]

10 Nov, 2018 - Pooing troops, empty bars, sinking frigate and other takeaways from NATO largest drills
Pooing troops, empty bars, sinking frigate and other takeaways from NATO largest drills

From traffic accidents to troops relieving themselves in public places and bars left without beer, this year's edition of NATO-led Trident Juncture drills has every chance to leave lasting memories in Norway and beyond.

Trident Juncture 2018 was by far the largest exercise hosted by Norway since the end of the Cold War and the largest NATO has held in decades. Involving some 50,000 troops from 31 countries, about 10,000 combat vehicles and 250 aircraft, the Trident Juncture was to hone the troops' combat skills in harsh Nordic climate – the one that probably led to some embarrassing setbacks.

'Sh**ty job'
Residents of Norway have filed hundreds of complaints with their country's military, drawing attention to human waste left by foreigners in public places. NATO troops – mostly Swedes and Americans – were reportedly caught relieving themselves near kindergartens, schools, and sports facilities, according to Norway's broadcaster NRK.

Other complaints came from local farmers who were angry about their property being damaged by armored vehicles. Norwegian Major Marianne Bo, responsible for damages and environmental protection during the NATO exercise, said the army usually has “a system for treating this” but something apparently went wrong.

This is terrible, it's about having common decency,” the officer lamented. “We have to clean up after soldiers who have relieved themselves. It's literally a s****y job.” The news was met will little praise from Trident Juncture HQ either, which promised to take all the complaints seriously.

Full ammo, low beer
Norway wasn't the only country to be adversely affected by the drills. It emerged that some 7,000 US troops heading for the Trident Juncture drank bars in Iceland – where they made a pit stop – dry in a single weekend. The complaints said thirsty American soldiers were especially keen to try local beverages.

At some point, Brewery Olgerdin Egils Skallagrimsson in Reykjavik, Iceland's capital, which makes the popular Icelandic Gull, had to send emergency supplies to various pubs and bars.

Collisions: On land & at sea
Slippery Norwegian highways saw several NATO vehicles collide or veer off the road. The crashes occurred in different parts of the country, involving American, Swedish and Italian troops. Those incidents left no fatalities but disrupted traffic and required ambulances to transport the injured to local hospitals.

Dangerous collisions happened not only on land but also in Norway's uneasy waters. The Trident Juncture came to a spectacular end on November 7, but the next day a Norwegian Navy frigate Helge Ingstad collided with a Maltese tanker Sola TS, near an island chain off Norway's western coast.

The vessel, which had received a long tear in the hull started to take on water, prompting the crew of 137 to abandon ship. Helge Ingstad deliberately ran aground to prevent capsizing, and a race is now underway to save the frigate from sinking.

Published on Oct 29, 2018 (3:25 min.)

Published on Oct 27, 2018 (3:31 min.)

Published on Nov 9, 2018 (1:14 min.)

 

[sToRmR1dR]

Moscow to Conduct Military Inspection of NATO Activity, Drills in Europe

Russian experts will carry out military activity assessments in Norway, Poland and Germany under the Vienna Document on Confidence- and Security-Building Measures on November 12-16, the head of Russia's Nuclear Risk Reduction Center said.

According to the official, the Russian experts will visit training areas and ranges, will be briefed about the military activities, formations and units in the areas as well as about the NATO Anakonda 2018 drills that will be held in Poland in that period of time.

"On November 12-16, within the framework of Vienna Document 2011 on Confidence- and Security-Building Measures, a Russian group of inspectors plans a visit to observe some types of military activities in Poland,” Sergei Ryzhkov said.

Moreover, the Russian experts will be thoroughly briefed about the Edelweiss 2018 drills that will be held in Germany in that period of time.

“On November 12-15, within the framework of Vienna Document 2011 on Confidence- and Security-Building Measures, a Russian group of inspectors plans to inspect an area of some 12,000 square kilometers [over 1,600 miles] in Germany,” Ryzhkov noted.

In addition, the Russian experts will visit training areas and ranges in the area of the Trident Juncture drills that were held in Norway on October 25 – November 7.

“On November 12-15, within the framework of Vienna Document 2011 on Confidence- and Security-Building Measures, a Russian group of inspectors plans to inspect an area of some 16,000 square kilometers in Norway,” Ryzhkov noted

The Vienna Document is aimed at confidence and security building in Europe and envisages Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) member states providing each other with information on their armed forces, defense planning and military budget details, as well as exchanging military observers and carrying out inspections.

 

[angelburst29]

12.11.2018 - 'Not a Joke': Finland to probe Claims of 'Russian' GPS Jamming during NATO Drill
'Not a Joke': Finland to Probe Claims of 'Russian' GPS Jamming During NATO Drill

Without waiting for any formal investigation, Finnish Prime Minister Juha Sipila alleged that Russia may have been the culprit behind the alleged jamming of GPS signals in northern Finland and Norway.

A Kremlin spokesman on Monday denied knowledge of Russia’s alleged role in the glitches experienced by the US global positioning system, GPS, during this month’s NATO military exercises.

"We have no knowledge of Russia’s alleged role in GPS glitches. You should ask experts or the Defense Ministry. But there is an obvious trend to blame Russia for everything. As a rule, these accusations are baseless," Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

Commenting on the issue, Finnish Foreign Ministry spokesman Vesa Hakkinen told Sputnik that Finland would investigate the information about the alleged GPS glitches.

"The minister said that we will now investigate the source of the suspected large-scale GPS malfunctions in northern Finland. The report will be submitted to the Foreign Affairs Committee as soon as possible,” Hakkinen said.

The comments referred to the earlier reports made by pilots in Finland and Norway, who claimed they had lost GPS navigation signals during the recent NATO drills Trident Juncture near Russia's north-western border, the largest on Norwegian soil in decades.

Although an investigation is yet to be carried out, Finnish Prime Minister Juha Sipila (57) ventured that Moscow was likely to blame.

"Technology-wise, it's relatively easy to disturb a radio signal, and it's possible that Russia was behind it," Sipila told national broadcaster Yle. "We will investigate, and then we will respond," he added. "This is not a joke, it threatened the air security of ordinary people."

The goal of the alleged Russian interference was "to demonstrate the capabilities for such actions," he said.

Sipila, himself an experienced amateur pilot, stressed that the incident, which makes Finland vulnerable to hybrid warfare, would be treated as a breach of Finnish airspace.

The disturbance targeted the Finnish region of Lapland and parts of Norway near the border with Russia, also affecting air traffic in Norway. The regional Wideroe airline confirmed that its pilots had experienced GPS disruptions.

By contrast, the Norwegian airline was more reserved in its comments. While confirming that planes lost GPS signals, Wideroe information consultant Lina Lindegaard stressed that no security risk was involved and specifically chose not to speculate on the reasons, The Barents Observer news outlet reported.

In Finland, though, the alleged GPS jamming will be debated in parliament. Former Prime Minister and current head of the Foreign Affairs Committee Matti Vanhanen pledged an investigation into suspicions that Russia was behind the GPS jamming, which he compared with airspace violations, and promised to get to the bottom of these matters.

Foreign Minister Timo Soini promised a report to the Finnish parliament about the alleged Russian jamming of GPS signals.

The head of the parliamentary Defence Committee, Ilkka Kanerva, said that the reports of GPS jamming posed a significant risk to aviation.

We are in dangerous territory when we find ourselves at the border of military and civilian activity. It can mean that aviators can find themselves in completely unanticipated and even catastrophic situations," Kanerva said, as quoted by national broadcaster Yle.

As of yet, Moscow hasn't commented on the speculations of its involvement.

The GPS jamming scandal unravelled just days after NATO forces ended their two-week Trident Juncture drill, the largest in Scandinavia in decades. Operations took place in Norway, parts of formally non-aligned Finland and Sweden, the North Atlantic and the Baltic Sea, involving some 50,000 personnel.

The Russian Foreign Ministry decried the drill as "obviously anti-Russian" and "leading to deterioration of military and political situation in the region." The Foreign Ministry also stressed that its offensive character was "obvious" despite "clumsy attempts" to portray the military activities as "defensive."

The Trident Juncture drills were met with anti-war protests across Norway.
Norwegian Peace Activists Gather to Say 'No' to NATO War Games (PHOTOS, VIDEO)


12.11.2018 - NATO has No Intention to Deploy New Nuclear Missiles in Europe
NATO Has No Intention to Deploy New Nuclear Missiles in Europe

NATO has no plans to deploy new nuclear missiles in Europe and the alliance calls on Russia to maintain a constructive dialogue with the United States regarding the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF), NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Monday.

NATO has no intention to deploy new nuclear missiles in Europe. But as an Alliance, we are committed to the safety and the security of all Allies. We must not allow arms control treaties to be violated with impunity. Because that undermines the trust in arms control in general. So we call on Russia to ensure compliance, and to return to constructive dialogue with the United States," Stoltenberg said at a conference in Germany.

The statement was made after in October, US President Donald Trump said that Washington intended to leave the INF Treaty, accusing Russia of violating it numerous times. The Kremlin, in its turn, rejected the accusations, noting that Russia would be forced to take measures to ensure its security if the treaty was terminated by the United States.

The INF Treaty was signed in December 1987 by the United States and the Soviet Union. It prohibited either country from possessing, producing or flight-testing ground-launched ballistic and cruise missiles with a range of 500 to 5,500 kilometers (311 to 3,418 miles) and their launchers.

The United States and Russia have repeatedly accused each other of violating the INF Treaty. Moscow, in particular, stated that the United States was deploying launchers for Tomahawk missiles in Romania and Poland, which was prohibited by the agreement.

The Russian party has also pointed to the fact that Washington was developing combat drones and financing the research on the development of a ground-launched cruise missile. Meanwhile, the Russian authorities have stressed on numerous occasions that Moscow strictly complied with the obligations arising from the treaty.

 

[angelburst29]

November 13, 2018 - Norwegian Frigate now nearly submerged after collision
Norwegian frigate now nearly submerged after collision | Reuters


A shipwrecked Norwegian navy frigate "KNM Helge Ingstad" is seen in this Norwegian Coastal Administration handout picture in Oygarden, Norway, November 13, 2018. Jakob Ostheim/Norwegian Coastal Administration/Handout vis REUTERS

A Norwegian navy frigate that collided with an oil tanker last week was almost completely submerged on Tuesday despite efforts to salvage the sinking vessel, pictures taken by the Norwegian Coastal Administration showed.

The ship’s plight off the Norwegian coast is, however, not disrupting the nearby Sture crude oil export terminal. “We are in normal operations,” said a spokeswoman for the plant’s operator, Equinor.

The Norwegian military has been working since Thursday to salvage the ship by tethering it with several cables to the shore. Some of these had broken.

“The ship sunk a meter further and, as a result, two wires broke. They were replaced with two stronger ones. We worked until midnight on this. After midnight, we realized it was not safe for our staff to carry on the work further,” said Haavard Mathiesen, the head of the salvage operation for the Norwegian Defence Materiel Agency.

“Around 0600 (0500 GMT), more wires broke and the ship sank further. It is now in deep water and stable,” he told a news conference.

The ship was stranded off Norway’s west coast early last Thursday after it collided with the tanker that had left the Sture terminal. The facility was shut for several hours as a result.

Eight Navy staff, out of a total crew of 137, were slightly injured in the incident.


November 13, 2018 - NATO looks to startups, disruptive tech to conquer emerging threats
NATO looks to startups, disruptive tech to conquer emerging threats | Reuters



NATO is developing new hi-tech tools, such as the ability to 3D-print parts for weapons and deliver them by drone, as it scrambles to retain a competitive edge over Russia, China and other would-be battlefield adversaries.

General Andre Lanata, who took over as head of the NATO transformation command in September, told a conference in Berlin that his command demonstrated over 21 “disruptive” projects during military exercises in Norway this month.

He urged startups as well as traditional arms manufacturers to work with the Atlantic alliance to boost innovation, as rapid and easy access to emerging technologies was helping adversaries narrow NATO’s longstanding advantage.

Lanata’s command hosted its third “innovation challenge” in tandem with the conference this week, where 10 startups and smaller firms presented ideas for defeating swarms of drones on the ground and in the air.

Belgian firm ALX Systems, which builds civilian surveillance drones, won this year’s challenge.

Its CEO, Geoffrey Mormal, said small companies like his often struggled with cumbersome weapons procurement processes. “It’s a very hot topic, so perhaps it will help to enable quicker decisions,” he told Reuters.

Lanata said NATO was focused on areas such as artificial intelligence, connectivity, quantum computing, big data and hypervelocity, but also wants to learn from DHL and others how to improve the logistics of moving weapons and troops.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said increasing military spending by NATO members would help tackle some of the challenges, but efforts were also needed to reduce widespread duplication and fragmentation in the European defense sector.

Participants also met behind closed doors with chief executives from 12 of the 15 biggest arms makers in Europe.


November 13, 2018 - Mattis backs NATO as France, Germany voice support for EU Military
Mattis backs NATO as France, Germany voice support for EU military | Reuters

U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said on Tuesday that NATO was the cornerstone for the protection of Europe even as France and Germany called for an integrated European Union military.

Asked whether he supported an EU military, Mattis told reporters: “We see NATO as the cornerstone for the protection of Europe in the security realm and we fully support nations doing more to carry the load.”

He was speaking before the start of a meeting with his Polish counterpart at the Pentagon.

* November 13, 2018 - Germany's Merkel calls for a European Union Military
Germany's Merkel calls for a European Union military | Reuters

Merkel told the European Parliament such an army would not undermine the U.S.-led military alliance NATO but would be complementary to it, remarks that were met with loud applause in the legislature though also with boos from nationalist members.

“The times when we could rely on others are over. This means we Europeans have to take our fate fully into our own hands,” Merkel said.

“We should work on a vision of one day establishing a real European army.”

 

[Ursus Minor]

November 13, 2018 - Norwegian Frigate now nearly submerged after collision

I wonder whether we'll get any serious answers as to how a HiTech warship could collide with an oil tanker...
The tanker crew is said to have warned the frigate of the possible collision.

Were they experimenting with a new "auto pilot technology" when the GPS signal went off?

I am reminded of the incidents involving the USS Fitzgerald in June 2017 which collided with a merchant ship off Japan and the USS John McCain that hit an oil tanker off Singapore in August of 2017.

How about temporary incursions of 4-D reality?

Do state-of-the-art warships contain technology that could draw 4-D force fields (excuse my clumsy description) onto them?

 

[angelburst29]

I wonder whether we'll get any serious answers as to how a HiTech warship could collide with an oil tanker...
The tanker crew is said to have warned the frigate of the possible collision.

Were they experimenting with a new "auto pilot technology" when the GPS signal went off?

I am reminded of the incidents involving the USS Fitzgerald in June 2017 which collided with a merchant ship off Japan and the USS John McCain that hit an oil tanker off Singapore in August of 2017.

How about temporary incursions of 4-D reality?

Do state-of-the-art warships contain technology that could draw 4-D force fields (excuse my clumsy description) onto them?

It was just after 4 am Norwegian time this morning the collision happened as the frigate was en route back to Haakonsvern naval base near Bergen after participating in the NATO exercise Trident Juncture. The exercise ended on November 7th.

At the time of collision, it was still dark.

I'm thinking in line with "human error" on the oil tanker's part? I'm wondering, if the oil tanker was doing "an illegal run" under the cover of darkness and was just heading out when it slammed into the Norwegian Frigate- that was just coming into Severomorsk Port? The tanker had to be fully loaded to do that much damage to the Frigate? Look at the way the Frigate is breeched near the shore line?

If you think of it, most of US Sanctions are related to gas and oil. There might be secret deliveries of oil going out at night or the early Morning hours and the tankers are doing "silent runs" so as not to be detected - with transponders "off"? So, there probably was no signal given off to alert the Frigate - until it was too late?


November 16, 2018 - Dutch PM Rutte: NATO remains cornerstone of European Defense
Dutch PM Rutte: NATO remains cornerstone of European defense | Reuters


FILE PHOTO: Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte holds a news conference at the European Union leaders summit in Brussels, Belgium October 18, 2018. REUTERS/Piroschka van de Wouw/File Photo

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte on Friday rejected the idea of a European army, as raised in Germany and France.

“The idea of a European Army goes way too far for the Netherlands,” he said after a cabinet meeting. “NATO is and remains the cornerstone of our defense policy.”

 

[Ursus Minor]

I'm thinking in line with "human error" on the oil tanker's part? I'm wondering, if the oil tanker was doing "an illegal run" under the cover of darkness and was just heading out when it slammed into the Norwegian Frigate- that was just coming into Severomorsk Port? The tanker had to be fully loaded to do that much damage to the Frigate? Look at the way the Frigate is breeched near the shore line?

If you think of it, most of US Sanctions are related to gas and oil. There might be secret deliveries of oil going out at night or the early Morning hours and the tankers are doing "silent runs" so as not to be detected - with transponders "off"? So, there probably was no signal given off to alert the Frigate - until it was too late?

Angelburst, Severomorsk is the home of the Russian Northern Fleet.

The Norwegian Frigate was probably on its way to the port of Bergen.

I admit that my "explanation" does sound quite outlandish and it probably is.

At the time of collision, it was still dark.

Because of its latitude Scandinavia can be a very dark place in the winter. The Norwegian Navy should be used to it.
I'm pretty sure conventional RADAR devices can pick up huge metal objects (like oil tankers) even when their transponders are turned off. Mind you, NATO's adversaries might turn off their transponders as well.

 

[angelburst29]

Angelburst, Severomorsk is the home of the Russian Northern Fleet.

Sorry about that, Ursus Minor ... when I screw-up, I generally do a good job of it .. always trying to do my best! (?) (Should lay off Posting anything until I finish the first cup of morning coffee. Brain doesn't switch on until then.)

The Norwegian Frigate was probably on its way to the port of Bergen.

I admit that my "explanation" does sound quite outlandish and it probably is.

Your guess is as good as mind, as to what really happened?

Nov. 8, 2018 - Norwegian frigate damaged in collision with tanker, Update frigate to blame (VIDEO)
Norwegian frigate damaged in collision with tanker, Update frigate to blame VIDEO

Greek Aframax tanker SOLA TS collided with Norway Navy frigate HNOMS HELGE INGSTAD in the morning Nov 8, probably around 0300 UTC, in North sea north of Bergen, Norway. Laden tanker left Sture Terminal shortly before collision. According to Norway media reports, frigate sustained heavy damages, water ingress, probably in danger of sinking, all 137 crew evacuated, 7 were slightly injured. Tanker said not to suffer serious damages, as of 0530 UTC she was near collision site, moving in northern direction at dead slow speed, escorted by tug. Salvage under way, many tugs and SAR ships in collision area.

Norwegian Navy frigate HNOMS HELGE INGSTAD (F313), displacement 5290, commissioned 2009, complement 120, armament missiles, torpedoes, guns, helicopter.

Update: Frigate understood to sustain stb bow hull breach with massive water ingress, she’s said to develop heavy bow tilt.

Update: 0700 UTC – according to latest reports frigate was taken to shallow waters to avoid sinking, water ingress is incontrollable.

Comment: Again, laden massive cargo ship collided with Navy frigate, similar to accidents which occurred with USA Nay frigates in Japan and ff Singapore, recently. Understood frigate was hit by tanker, it’s like feather-weight boxer being hit by super weight clumsy, slow moving giant boxer. Whatever the situation and ships positions were according to COLREG, Navy is the main culprit. Aframax tanker in full load is restricted in maneuverability by definition, while frigate, by definition, is speedy maneuverable vehicle, supposedly always ready for dangerous situation, manned by a numerous crew.

IMRRA, FleetMon’s official Vessel Risk Rating Partner, risk assessed this tanker as having a ‘green’ risk rating, with a specific risk rating of 30% (12-JUL-18), compared to the fleet average 35%. New risk assessment reports can be purchased via FleetMon.

Red: Poorest performing; Amber: Average value; Green: Good indicator.

Published on Nov 8, 2018 (0:23 min.)

Published on Nov 8, 2018 (1:17 min.)

 

[angelburst29]

16.11.2018 - A Knife in NATO's Back or Common Sense? Russian Warships return to Spain's Ceuta
A Knife in NATO's Back or Common Sense? Russian Warships Return to Spain's Ceuta

Three Russian naval vessels have refuelled in Ceuta, a Spanish port town in northeast Africa, after a long hiatus, raising the eyebrows of Spain's Western allies. In 2016, Russia rescinded its request to dock ships in Ceuta after NATO allies voiced concerns that its ships were used to target civilians in Syria, which Russia denied.

"A knife in the back for the NATO alliance", said Nile Gardiner, a British political commentator and former aide to Margaret Thatcher, commenting on Spain's decision to allow three Russian warships — guided-missile cruiser Marshal Ustinov, tanker Dubna and tug SB-406 — re-fuel and re-supply in Ceuta.

His comment echoed that of Luke Coffey, a US political adviser, who called Madrid's move "the height of irresponsibility", given the chilly relations between Russia and Western nations.

This is conduct unbecoming of a NATO member.
— Luke Coffey (@LukeDCoffey)

These outbursts are a foil to the more cold-minded narrative of Spanish media. To name a few, El País, one of the major Spanish newspapers, came up with a neutral headline: "The Russian fleet returns to Ceuta three years after." The Navy are said to have travelled to Ceuta "just three days" after the visit of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to Madrid.

According to official statistics, Russian warships docked in Ceuta 60 times between 2010 and 2016. They brought in over 10,000 servicemen, who generated some 4.5 million euros for the seaport.

This shouldn't come as a surprise that Ceuta's port authorities have welcomed the Russian fleet, pointing out that such visits are "fruitful for the town's commercial establishments."

Local media have mirrored their enthusiasm. News outlet El Pueblo de Ceuta suggested that the arrival of the Russian flotilla would give an 'important impetus' to the town's economic sector, while local businesses were awaiting it ‘with open arms'.

Another digital daily, El Faro de Ceuta, gave a vivacious description of a reception ceremony for the Russian warships, which was preceded by 'unexpected' cannon shots.

Santiago Velo de Antelo, the head of Spanish Academy of Diplomacy, told Sputnik that the arrival of Russian Navy in Ceuta marks ‘the return to a normal situation that was disrupted in 2016.'

He said that the backlash of Spain's Western allies, primarily Britain, was fueled by the fear of losing control over the Strait of Gibraltar — 'probably, the world's most important' strait.

For his part, Spanish lawyer and economist Guillermo Rockafort called London's stance 'hypocritical', given that Britain, the country that has ‘usurped' Gibraltar, does not consult with anyone when using the enclave to repair ‘damaged nuclear submarines,' as it was the case in 2005.

Spain has sent a clear message to the United Kingdom, the United States and to the whole world that it is a sovereign nation that takes decisions meeting its own interests."

"It bothers them that Madrid has adopted a neutral and even friendly position towards such an important country as Russia," he said.

There is a growing number of pundits in Spain calling for cooperation with Russia, Rocafort contended, drawing the example of Colonel Pedro Baños, who was tipped in June by Spanish media as the new head of Spain's intelligence office (although Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez later ruled out his appointment).

"Russia and Spain are the western and eastern borders of Europe. We have something to offer each other from the economic, humanitarian and military standpoint. What makes no sense is refusing to cooperate under pressure from other states," he added.


15.11.2018 - Finland discusses with Russia GPS Glitches at NATO Drills - Foreign Ministry
Finland Discusses With Russia GPS Glitches at NATO Drills - Foreign Ministry

Helsinki is discussing with Moscow through diplomatic channels the investigation of GPS glitches during recent NATO exercises, the Finnish Foreign Ministry said on Thursday.

“The [Finnish] authorities are continuing to investigate this issue. It is being discussed with the Russian Federation through diplomatic channels. Finland believes that such activities should not threaten the air traffic, for example," the ministry said in a statement on Thursday.

On the same day, Finland's Interior Minister Kai Mykkanen said that Helsinki will provide Moscow with additional information on developments in the course of the probe into the alleged Russian involvement in GPS glitches during recent NATO drills.

"During the trip to Moscow, I raised the issue of GPS disruption. In particular, during a meeting with Secretary Nikolai Patrushev. We agreed that as the investigation proceeds in Finland, we will provide additional information. If the investigation leads to further questions, we will ask them," the Finnish minister told Sputnik.

Mykkanen visited Moscow on November 13 and met with Secretary of Russian Security Council Nikolai Patrushev, as well as with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Kolokoltsev.

The two-week Trident Juncture exercises involving 50,000 soldiers from 31 countries in several northern European countries, including Finland, were overshadowed by several instances in which pilots reported losing GPS signals. Finnish Prime Minister Juha Sipila said on Sunday they were being investigated as possible jamming by Russia.

Reacting to these accusations, Russia has denied any involvement in the location signal disturbances.

Commenting on the issue earlier in the day, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko said that Moscow will respond to possible questions related to the alleged jamming of the GPS signals by Russia during the recent NATO exercises in Scandinavia after Helsinki and Oslo use diplomatic channels.


15.11.2018 - NATO calls GPS Jamming 'Dangerous, Disruptive', joins Norway in Accusing Russia
NATO Calls GPS Jamming 'Dangerous, Disruptive', Joins Norway in Accusing Russia

NATO has decided to throw its weight behind Helsinki's and Oslo's claims of GPS disruption during the recent alliance drill in Norway. Meanwhile, unsubstantiated allegations of Russian involvement are gaining momentum in the Nordic countries.

Unfounded accusations by Norway and Finland that Russia was responsible for the recent GPS malfunction experienced during the Trident Juncture drill, the largest in decades, have now been perpetuated by NATO headquarters.

"Norway has determined that Russia was responsible for jamming GPS signals in the Kola Peninsula during exercise Trident Juncture," NATO spokesperson Oana Lungescu said. "In view of the civilian usage of GPS, jamming of this sort is dangerous, disruptive and irresponsible."

Previously, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg stressed in a more evasive way that electronic warfare was on the rise, stressing that the alliance "takes all these issues very seriously." Nevertheless, he specifically refused to pinpoint any particular nation responsible for the disturbance.

The Norwegian short-haul carrier Widerøe admitted to cockpit crews experiencing unusually weak GPS signals (or none at all), but declined to speculate on the reason for their disappearance.

Following claims by the Norwegian Defence Ministry that it had traced the source of jamming in Norway and Finnish Lapland "to a Russian military base on the Kola Peninsula," Matti Vanhanen, former Finnish prime minister and current chair of the parliament's foreign committee said that while Norwegian authorities are unlikely to present any proof, there still was "every reason to trust them", Finnish national broadcaster Yle reported.

Foreign Minister Timo Soini and Finnish President Sauli Niinisto called for an thorough investigation of the incident, while Prime Minister Juha Sipila highlighting Russia, which "has the means to do it," as the likely culprit. The Finnish Defence Ministry is yet to provide its commentary.

Neither Norway nor Finland recorded any incidents related to alleged GPS jamming. Russia has denied any involvement in the location signal disturbances.

"We know nothing about Russia's possible involvement in those GPS failures," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

Moscow will respond to possible questions related to the alleged jamming of the GPS signals by Russia during the recent NATO exercises in Scandinavia after Helsinki and Oslo use diplomatic channels, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko said on Thursday.

Meanwhile, the police in Norway's northernmost county of Finnmark are now issuing warnings that 'Russian' GPS jamming can threaten security and emergency preparedness in Norway. They noted that disturbances of GPS signals in Finnmark have occurred at least three times since last September, and can also interfere with police response to emergency situations. Furthermore, GPS coordinates are often used to determine locations when police are out on the job.

The alleged disturbance occurred amid NATO's Trident Juncture, two-week military drills involving 50,000 soldiers from 31 countries.


16.11.2018 - Only 23% of Moldovan Citizens support Potential NATO Membership - Poll
Only 23% of Moldovan Citizens Support Potential NATO Membership - Poll

Only 23 percent of Moldovan citizens would support the idea of their country joining NATO if Moldova held a referendum on the issue, a poll carried out by the US International Republican Institute (IRI) revealed on Friday.

According to the results of the poll, a total of 35 percent of the respondents said that they would not approve of the country's potential NATO membership, while another 19 percent of the Moldovan citizens have not decided yet on their position and 23 percent of the respondents do not intend to vote at all if such a referendum is held.

The poll also revealed that 40 percent of the respondents believed that Russia was Moldova's key economic partner and a total of 32 percent of the Moldovan citizens considered Moscow to be the country's main political ally, ahead of the European Union.

More than half of the respondents — 55 percent — said that relations between Russia and Moldova were good, with another 29 percent considering bilateral relations to be in a poor state and yet another 12 percent saying that the two countries are neutral toward each other.

The poll was carried out among 1,503 people between September 11 and October 16, with the margin of error being no more than 2.5 percent.

The country's constitution states that Moldova is a neutral state, meaning that it does not align itself with political groups. However, Moldova has been engaged in bilateral cooperation with NATO under the Partnership for Peace (PfP) program since 1994. A civilian NATO Liaison Office was opened in the country's capital in 2017. Moldova, in turn, has contributed more than 40 troops to the alliance's Kosovo Force (KFOR).

In the first nine months of 2018, trade between Russia and Moldova amounted to $645 million, making Russia the country's second largest trading partner behind Romania, according to the Moldovan National Bureau of Statistics.

 

[angelburst29]

November 14, 2018 - No to NATO, No to Bases, No to Wars in Distant Places
No to NATO, No to Bases, No to Wars in Distant Places | Washington's Blog

As I head over to Ireland for a conference on closing U.S. and NATO military bases around the world — and at which some of us will make plans for protesting NATO in Washington on April 4, 2019 — the presidents of France and Germany are talking up the need for a European military that can fight the United States, Russia, and/or China. There are three responses to this development, two of which will get us all killed more quickly than the other.

One is this. Down with the stupid, ungrateful, miserable, old-fashioned Europeans! Make them fund NATO for their own good, whether they like it or not. This is a U.S. world, NATO is its tool, and others must be made to submit and to say thank you. This response unites all variety of liberal-conservative imperialists, thoughtless accepters of corporate opinion, people who like NATO because they’ve been told Trump doesn’t, and Trump himself, who of course once blurted out the obvious (that NATO is obsolete) until the generals informed him of what his job is, since which point Trump has been the biggest NATO-booster in at least half a century.

A second response it this. Hurray for a European military! This will break up U.S. hegemony. We’ll have a multipolar world, a balance of powers, independence from the Pentagon’s imperial throne. Perhaps even peace and disarmament will follow, who knows, who cares! Dance in the streets, people, the empire is collapsing! This response unites so-called peace activists who oppose U.S. war-making (and only U.S. war making) with weapons manufacturers and all variety of war and “reconstruction” profiteers. For centuries now, armaments and empires have led to wars, not peace. While the United States spends half the world’s military spending, other NATO members spend another quarter. China spends a tiny fraction of what the U.S. and other NATO members spend, and Russia spends a tiny fraction of what China spends, and has been reducing that each year, while Saudi Arabia and other weapons customers of the NATO nations ramp up.

The notion that NATO faces some external threat has become so ridiculous that the big hope for the weapons companies has to lie in two places (well, three until the Mueller investigation — or at least the Putin-stole-the-election core of it — fizzles out). The first is getting NATO to fight itself. Split NATO into Europe versus America. Get Europe to double its weapons spending to keep pace. That’ll make a few people very, very rich. Ask a U.S. weapons CEO for his or her view, I dare you. The second is getting these new rivals to sell even more weapons to poor countries and to wage even more wars against those weapons in those poor countries. There’s an old saying: When two demented, drunken, senile dinosaurs fight, it’s the ants and flowers that suffer. Rich nations haven’t actually fought each other since the Nuremberg trials. But they heavily arm and heavily bomb much of the rest of the world, the “violent” regions of which produce hardly any weaponry (and virtually all of that in Israel). If militarism is Westerners’ idea of progress, if their vision for decades to come — decades guaranteed to see environmental collapse and refugee crises — is a reorganization of barbarism, the result will make Donald Trump look good.

A third response is this. The problem is war, not U.S. war, but war. The U.S. is the biggest weapons dealer and the biggest warmonger, so it is the biggest piece of the problem. But the problem is war. And we don’t have decades left to dick around with medieval balances of power. The earth’s climate is already doomed. Militarism is both the biggest cause of climate collapse and the only industry given a waiver in major environmental agreements. Of course, Europe should stand up to the United States and to Trump’s demand to buy more weapons and fund a bigger NATO, but not by buying even more weapons and funding a different sort of NATO! As someone who has lived in Europe and loves both Europe and the United States, I have to say I’ll be extremely disappointed if Europe cannot manage to reply to fascist U.S. buffoonery with a civilized approach. Tiny fractions of what the United States and NATO members spend on wars could provide real aid to the entire world, including to these governments’ own people. A European Nonviolent Peaceforce, a European Climate Protection Agency, a European Disarmament Project, a European Aid Mission, a European Global Marshall Plan — if you want to unite Europe in opposition to Trumpian jackassery, try one of these, not a bigger jackass. Hell, try the rule of law. The chief prosecutor back at Nuremberg claimed the standards should apply to the United States as well.

If you favor peace, the above should be obvious. I shouldn’t have needed to say any of it. But peace is often a facade covering other motivations, hiding them even from ourselves. It shouldn’t be. We should have a peace movement that backs violence no more than a campaign for virginity backs sex. We’ve had 100 years now since the war to end all wars, 100 years of endless wars to end all peace. What we need is a peace to end all wars. And we need Europe to be a part of that. Arming neo-Nazis in Ukraine, human experimentation in CIA prisons, fascist propaganda about poor Honduran refugees: these are symptoms of the larger problem, the problem people claimed to be shocked by when the “civilized” Germans started putting human beings into ovens: the problem is putting massive violence between one part of humanity and another. Don’t do it, Europe! Don’t follow a fool! Don’t confuse Hollywood with reality! Don’t escalate humanity’s self-destruction! Help us turn down a different path!

If you want to ape Trump, do it like this. Treat NATO the way Trump treats disarmament agreements: withdraw from it and do the opposite!

 

[angelburst29]

Nov. 16, 2018 - Russia Released List Of Military Facilities Used By US, NATO In Regions Near Its Borders
Russia Released List Of Military Facilities Used By US, NATO In Regions Near Its Borders


REUTERS / Ints Kalnins

On November 15, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova commented on the recent NATO drills near the Russian borders: Trident Juncture 2018 and Anakonda.

She stated that these drills have an obvious offensive message – the sides involved are preparing for offensive actions. The diplomat emphasized that some NATO member states are actively increasing their military presence near the Balitc Sea and the Black Sea. She slammed these actions saying that they are contributing to the militarization on the region.

On the same day, the Russian Foreign Ministry released a full list of military facilities established or used by the US and NATO member states in the regions located close to the Russian borders (SOURCE):

Latvia:

• Riga (forward NATO command and control unit); the settlement of Adazhi (NATO multinational battalion, 1,293 people; division of the rotational armored brigade of the US Armed Forces); the air base (AB) in Lielvarde (a division of the rotational brigade of the United States Army Aviation).
• The military base in the village of Luznava, polygons in the town of Skrunda as well as Aluksne and Daugavpils Territories are being reconstructed.

Lithuania:

• Vilnius (forward NATO command and control unit); Rukla (NATO multinational battalion, 1,100; division of the rotational armored brigade of the US Armed Forces);
• AB Zoknyay, Shaulyai (aircraft in the framework of the NATO mission to patrol airspace in the Baltic region – 4 fighters of the Belgian Air Force);
• Mumaychayay village (a warehouse of weapons and military equipment (WMT) of the US);
• polygons in Pabrada, Kairiai, Kazlu Rudei Rokai.

Estonia:

• Tallinn (forward NATO command and control unit);
• village Thapa (NATO multinational battalion, 987 people; a unit of the rotational armored brigade of the US Armed Forces);
• AB “Emari” (aircraft in the framework of the NATO mission to patrol the airspace in the Baltic region – 4 fighters of the German Air Force).

Poland:

• Szczecin (headquarters of the multinational Northeast Army Rapid Reaction Corps);
• the city of Elblong (multinational headquarters of the divisional level “Northeast”);
• the town of Bydgoszcz (an forward command and control unit and joint NATO Combat Training Center);
• Poznan (advanced divisional command of the US Ground Forces in Europe);
• Lublin (headquarters of the command of the Lithuanian-Polish-Ukrainian brigade LITPOLUKRBRIG);
• Zhagan, Dravsko-Pomorskie, Torun, Sventoshuv, Skvezhina, Boleslawiec (headquarters and units of the rotational armored brigade of the US Armed Forces);
• Ozhesh and Bemovo-Piske (NATO multinational battalion, 1,093 people);
• Povidz (a logistic “hub” of the US Armed Forces in Europe is being formed, a division of the rotational brigade of the US Army Aviation);
• Redzikovo (anti-missile defense (missile defense) complex of the US / NATO Aegis Ashore, under construction);
• training grounds in the villages of Bedrusko, Grzycko, Venjin.
• ABs are being modernized in Lask, Malbork, Minsk-Mazowiecki, Miroslawiec, Swidwin, Poznan (Kschesiny).
• Engineering works are carried out at the naval bases of “Gdynia” and “Svinousce” in the port of Gdansk.

The number of US troops – approx. 3 thousand people (including units in the NATO multinational battalion).

Bulgaria:

• Novo Selo training ground (Sliven, subunit of the rotational armored brigade, US military warehouses);
• The Koren training ground (Haskovo), Graf Ignatievo AB (periodically deployed aviation to patrol Bulgarian airspace) and Krumovo, Bezmer airfield, Aytos military base (US military warehouses) are being modernized.
• In the interests of the naval forces (Navy) of the NATO countries, the infrastructure of the naval base “Varna” and the home station of the Bulgarian Navy “Burgas” are expanding.

Hungary:

• Sokeshfehervar (forward command and control unit of NATO);
• AB “Papa” (NATO air transport wing, the creation of a logistics “hub”) and “Kecskemet”;
• “Varpalota” range (a division of the rotational armored brigade of the US Armed Forces);
• reconstructed the center of combat training in the “Bakony”.

Romania:

• Bucharest (multinational headquarters divisional level “South-East”);
• AB “Mikhail Kogalnichanu” (rotational units of the armored brigade, army aviation brigade, marine corps, passenger transit center of the Armed Forces, US Army military warehouses;
• periodic deployment of aviation under patrolling the airspace of Romania – 5 fighters of the Canadian Air Force);
• Craiova (multinational “framework” (training) NATO brigade, formation continues, about 2.5 thousand people);
• AB Deveselu (Karakal, US / NATO Ajis Eshore missile defense complex);
• AB “Fetesht”, “Campia-Turzii”, an airfield in the city of Otopeni;
• Port of Constanta, the village of Medzhidiya (the military equipment warehouse), Babadag, Melina (Smyrdan) and Chinku ranges are being modernized.

Slovakia:

• Bratislava (forward command and control unit of NATO);
• in the interests of the NATO states, the ABs “Sliach”, “Kuchinya”, “Malacky” and the range in the city of Leste are being modernized.

Czech Republic:

• ABs in the cities of Časlav and Náměšt nad Oslavoy, an airfield in the town of Pardubice.

Norway:

• AB “Sola”, village Stavanger, military bases “Vernes” in Trondheim (rotational unit of the US Marines) and in the settlement Bardufoss (preparation for the deployment of US Marines);
• Trondheim (WMT warehouses of the Marine Corps).

Turkey:

• Izmir (command of the NATO Ground Forces);
• AB “Incirlik”;
• Kahramanmarash and Adana provinces (NATO’s Active Barrier mission to shield Turkey from missile threats from Syria).

Serbia (Kosovo):

• Camp Bondsteel;
• multinational contingent within the framework of the NATO Forces for Kosovo mission (3.9 thousand people).

The number of US troops – approx. 670 people (as part of the Kosovo Force).

Georgia:

• village Krtsanisi (NATO-Georgia Joint Training and Assessment Center);
• village Sachkhere (training center “School of mountain training”).

Ukraine:

• the town of Yavoriv (international center for peacemaking and security).

The number of US troops – approx. 300 people

Moldova:

• Chisinau (training center of the Military Academy named after Alexandru cel Bun).

Germany:

• Stuttgart-Fayhingen (headquarters of the commands of the armed forces and special operations forces of the USA in Europe and Africa);
• the city of Wiesbaden (headquarters of the US Army Command in Europe and the 7th US Army);
• ABs Ramstein, Ramstein-Miesenbach (headquarters of the commands of the combined NATO air forces, the US air forces in Europe, the 3rd Air Forces of the USA, and the command and control center for anti-missile defense forces of the United States armed forces in Europe);
• Ulm (joint NATO logistics and support command in Europe, is being created);
• Udem (NATO Joint Air Operations Center);
• Filzec (2nd Cavalry Regiment of the US Ground Forces);
• Grafenver (units of the 173rd Airborne Brigade, a training center and an advance storage center for military equipment of the US Army);
• Hohenfels (United Multinational Training Center);
• Kaiserslautern (US Patriot division);
• the city of Illesheim (headquarters and units of the rotational aviation brigade of the US Army);
• Beblingen (US Marine Forces headquarters in Europe and Africa);
• Dülmen, Mannheim, Mizau (forward storage facilities for weapons and military equipment of the US Army); AB in Geilenkirchen (aircraft of the radio detection and guidance complex (AWACS) of NATO) and Spangdahlem;
• the headquarters of the garrison command in the cities of Ansbach, Wiesbaden, Kaiserslautern, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Stuttgart-Fayhingen.

The number of US troops – approx. 38 thousand people

Italy:

• Naples (NATO Joint Command Naples, NATO Hub for the South Information and Analytical Center, headquarters of the US Navy Command in Europe and Africa, and the 6th US Navy Operational Fleet);
• the city of Vicenza (US Army headquarters in Africa; 173rd Airborne Brigade of the US Armed Forces);
• Ab Sigonella, Sicily (United States Marines Special Forces), Aviano; Livorno (WMT warehouse).

The number of US troops – approx. 12 thousand people.

Netherlands:

• Bruunsum (Allied Command Bryunsum);
• AB “Leeuwarden”;
• Eygelshofen (WMT inventory warehouse).

Belgium:

• Mons (strategic operations command of the United Armed Forces, command of special operations forces; center of NATO cyber operations, is being created);
• Brussels (command of the Benelux US Army garrison);
• AB “Chevre”;
• Zutendal (WMT armored warehouses).

The United Kingdom:

• ABs in Lakeenhit, Mildenhall, Alconbury, Fairford (including the periodic deployment of US Air Force strategic bombers), Croton, Menvit Hill, Feltwell, Molsworth, Welford, Waddington (NATO AWACS aircraft).

Iceland:

• AB”Keflavik” (periodic deployment of military aircraft of NATO countries).

Spain:

• AB “Moron” (rotational special forces of the US Marines), naval base “Rota” (permanent basing of ships with guided missile weapons (URO) of the US Navy);
• Torrehon (NATO Joint Air Operations Center).

Portugal:

• AB “Lajesh”, Azores.

Greece:

• “Souda Bay” (Navy, AVB, military equipment warehouses); AVB in Heraklion;
• military base “Makri”.

Cyprus:

• sovereign military bases of the Armed Forces of the UK “Akrotiri” (AB “Akrotiri” and Episkopi military garrison) and “Dekelia”.

The number of British troops – approx. 3500 people

Afghanistan:

• Kabul, Mazar-i-Sharif, Herat, Kandahar, Laghman (NATO “Strong Support” advise and training mission, 16.3 thousand);
• Operation of the US Armed Forces “Guardian of Freedom” (8 thousand.).

In the Baltic and in the Atlantic, under the command of NATO headquarters structures, the 1st permanent naval (PFMG) and the 1st permanent mine action group (FPMG) operate, in the Mediterranean – the 2nd PFGG and the 2nd PFMG (5-8 ships each) Alliance Navy countries each). Allied Forces conduct a maritime security operation in the Mediterranean, and also take action in the Aegean Sea to observe and collect information on irregular migration.

 

[angelburst29]

Sat, Nov 10, 2018 - NATO's Trident Juncture Drill Takes Its Toll: Frigate Hit by Tanker Runs Aground to Prevent Sinking
NATO's Trident Juncture Drill Takes Its Toll: Frigate Hit by Tanker Runs Aground to Prevent Sinking

Nov. 18, 2018 - US Navy Officer may face Questioning over Collision of Ships in Norway - reports
US Navy Officer May Face Questioning Over Collision of Ships in Norway – Reports

An officer of the US Navy might be questioned by Norway's authorities as part of the investigation into the collision of the Royal Norwegian Navy’s Helge Ingstad frigate and the Sola TS oil tanker, the Washington Post newspaper reported on Sunday.

On November 8, the ships collided near the Norwegian coast in Oygarden island municipality. A total of 127 people were evacuated due to the incident, while several people were injured. Norway’s frigate was severely damaged and had begun to sink, but the authorities have managed to beach it. Nevertheless, the Navy ship sank five days after the steel ropes holding it in place broke down.

Фрегат Helge Ingstad затонул у берегов Норвегии. Фото https://t.co/OqWyf9Z5IT. pic.twitter.com/76vgp0hVtp

— Ivan O'Gilvi (@o_gilvi)

https://twitter.com/x/status/1062606874539974657

The US officer was on board of the Helge Ingstad as part of the exchange program, Cmdr. Kyle Raines, a spokesman for the US Navy’s 6th Fleet, said, according to the newspaper.

The US Navy supports the Norwegian investigation, the spokesman noted but declined to reveal the identity of the officer or the exact role the serviceman had played on the vessel.


09.11.2018 - Norway Loses Money Big Time as "Unsinkable" Frigate Collides with Tanker
Norway Loses Money Big Time as 'Unsinkable' Frigate Collides With Tanker

Not only did the sinking of the uninsured frigate cost the Norwegian Navy its entire annual budget, but the Scandinavian country also lost millions of additional kronor, as several oil and gas fields were temporarily out of order due to the accident, which experts find inexplicable.

While returning from the major NATO drill Trident Juncture, where it took part in anti-submarine training in the seas northwest of Trondheim, the Norwegian frigate KMN Helge Instad collided with the Malta-registered tanker vessel Sola TS, prompting a dramatic operation spanning several hours to stop fuel leakage and save one of the latest additions to the Norwegian fleet from sinking, the daily newspaper Aftenposten reported.

The collision occurred just outside an oil terminal at Oygarden in Hordaland, resulting in a halt in all shipping activity during the rescue operation, as several important oil and gas fields in the North Sea were closed. In total, these five oil and gas fields combined produce around NOK 400 million ($48 million) a day or NOK 17 million ($2 million) an hour. Since the oil companies pay 78 percent taxes to the state for production, the shutdown ultimately resulted in a substantial economic loss for the nation, national broadcaster NRK reported.

All the 137 people on board the KMN Helge Instad were successfully evacuated, with eight sailors sustaining injuries.

Norwegian Navy frigate HNoMS Helge Ingstad collided with oil tanker in Sture, north of Bergen, Norway.The warship was returning from #NATO #TridentJuncture exercises. All 137 crew have been evacuated

https://twitter.com/x/status/1060564634212728832

The KMN Helge Ingstad is one of five Nansen-class frigates built at the Spanish shipyard Navantia in Ferrol and delivered with serious delays in 2009. It was billed as 'unsinkable' due to its construction with water-tight zones designed to keep the vessel 'intact and operable'. Ironically, the vessel took part it a 'high visibility' exercise shortly before the accident.

How a contemporary warship could collide with a small civilian tanker in clear weather and calm seas remains a tough question for the Navy to answer. Military personnel were mostly reticent about the incident, and multiple investigations are underway. Maritime experts, such as retired Commander Jacob Borresen, found the collision 'inexplicable'.

"The fact that it happened in this particular area is incomprehensible. Here we have a traffic centre packed with radar monitoring equipment reading transponder signals from all the vessels in the area. The frigate had state-of-the-art radar equipment and infrared optical systems. How is it possible that the vessels didn't see each other?" a puzzled Børresen wondered in an interview with NRK.

The KMN Helge Ingstad received a nearly 10-meter-long gash on its starboard side and was maneuverer into a shallow coastal bay, where it remains lying on the side. The accident triggered speculations that helicopters stored under the deck may have been ruined together with other sensitive equipment in the engine room. Nansen-class frigates cost the Norwegian state coffers about NOK 3.5 billion ($420 million) each, not counting the helicopters. For the sake of comparison, the Norwegian parliament granted NOK 4.1 billion ($490 million) to the entire Navy in 2018.

While Borresen called the collision a 'tragic accident', the Norwegian press described it as a national disaster in terns of military, financial and reputational losses.

 

[angelburst29]

November 16-18, 2018, Dublin, Ireland - First International Conference Against US/NATO Military Bases
https://www.globalresearch.ca/first...urce=article_page&utm_medium=related_articles

At the recent International Conference Against US/NATO Military Bases (held on November 16-18, 2018, in Dublin, Ireland), David Swanson, Director of World BEYOND War, noted that when:

“last year the Irish Ambassador to the United States came to the University of Virginia, [he] asked her how allowing U.S. troops to use Shannon Airport to get to their wars could possibly be in compliance with Irish neutrality. She replied that the U.S. government “at the highest level” had assured her it was all perfectly legal. And she apparently bowed and obeyed. But I don’t think the people of Ireland are as inclined to sit and roll over on command as their ambassador.”

In fact, in February 2003 the Irish Times reported:

“The Army has been called in to provide security around Shannon Airport after five peace activists broke into a hangar and damaged a US military aircraft early this morning. It is the third embarrassing security breach at the airport where US military planes are refuelling en route to the looming war with Iraq.”​

One anti-war activist Mary Kelly was convicted of causing $1.5m in damage to a United States navy plane at Shannon airport.

She attacked the plane with a hatchet causing damage to the nose wheel and electric systems at the front of the plane.

In the aftermath, it took until Friday 25th February, 2011, when the Court of Criminal Appeal in Dublin overturned the conviction against Mary Kelly for criminal damage to a US military aircraft at Shannon Airport on 29 January 2003.

This weekend’s conference in Dublin included speakers: Dr. Aleida Guevara, Member of Cuban National Assembly, Cuba, Aengus Ó Snodaigh TD, Sinn Féin Defense Spokesperson, Ireland, Clare Daly TD, Dail Eireann, Ireland, Mairead Maguire, Nobel Peace Prize Winner, Northern Ireland, Silvio Platero, President, MOVPAZ, Cuba, Ann Wright, Veterans For Peace, CODEPINK, USA and Chris Nineham, Vice-Chair, Stop the War Coalition, UK.

The conference was organised by the Global Campaign Against US/NATO Military Bases which itself is a coalition of peace organisations from around the world. The organisers are deeply concerned by the constant “threat of war that permeates the present Global atmosphere.”

Their main raison d’etre is outlined on their website and is summarized as follows:

“The increasingly aggressive and expansionist actions of US/NATO forces in violation of international law and the sovereign rights of all nations, the raging wars in the Middle East, the expansive militarization of the African continent via AFRICOM, the burgeoning arms race devastating the national treasuries, the bellicose language replacing diplomatic negotiations, the economic crises facing country after country, and the destruction of the global environment through war and unfettered exploitation, and their impact on public health, have all created crises that, unless checked by popular opposition, can lead to unimaginable catastrophe and war.”

They call on people all over the world to mobilize in their millions to unite for peace. The conference in Dublin is the organization’s first initiative to kick-start this campaign and was hosted by the Irish organization Peace and Neutrality Alliance (PANA).

You can watch the entire conference here.

 

[angelburst29]

November 26, 2018 - NATO head urges Russia to free Ukrainian Sailors and Ships
NATO head urges Russia to free Ukrainian sailors and ships | Reuters

BRUSSELS - NATO head Jens Stoltenberg urged Russia on Monday to release Ukrainian navy ships and sailors seized over the weekend near Crimea, saying there was no justification for Moscow’s actions.

Ukraine has accused Russia of military aggression and puts its armed forces on full combat alert after Russia on Sunday fired on and then captured the three ships and 24-strong crew in the Kerch Strait, which links the Black Sea with the Azov Sea.

Kiev has urged its Western allies to consider further sanctions against Moscow. Russia in its turn has accused Ukraine of plotting with the West to provoke a crisis.

“We saw that Russia used military force against Ukraine in an open and direct way,” Stoltenberg told a news conference after emergency talks of the Western military alliance held at the request of Ukraine, which is not a NATO member.

“All allies expressed full support for Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty,” he added. “There is no justification for the use of military force against Ukrainian ships and naval personnel so we call on Russia to release immediately the Ukrainian sailors and ships it seized yesterday.”

Stoltenberg said Russia should also allow all commercial vessels full access to Ukrainian ports.

He cited economic sanctions already imposed by the West on Russia over its 2014 annexation of Ukraine’s Crimea peninsula and its support for separatist rebels battling Kiev’s forces in eastern Ukraine.

“We are following and monitoring the situation very closely and we are constantly assessing what more we can do because Russia has to understand that its actions have consequences.”

“This is escalating the situation in the region and it confirms a pattern of behavior which we have seen over several years...,” he added.