NATO Warships In Black Sea Equipped With Strategic Weapons:

http://www.rbcnews.com/free/20080826153224.shtml

RosBusinessConsulting August 26, 2008

NATO warships armed with strategic weapons, official says

[“NATO warships stationed in Black Sea offshorewaters are equipped with strategic weapons, Colonel-General Anatoly Nogovitsyn, deputy head of theRussian military’s General Staff, said at a briefing today. Particularly, the ships are armed with cruise missileswith a range of 2,500 kilometers or more, the official said. Nogovitsyn also expressed doubt over humanitarian aid delivered by the NATO ships.The cargo allegedly transported by [US/NAT vessels] could be bought in the nearest flea market, without wasting such naval resources….Some of the warships arrived from Poland, which is a long way, the general said, concluding that this could hardly be merely humanitarian aid” ]

Moscow – NATO warships stationed in Black Sea offshorewaters are equipped with strategic weapons, Colonel-General Anatoly Nogovitsyn, deputy head of the Russian military’s General Staff, said at a briefing today.

Particularly, the ships are armed with cruise missiles with a range of 2,500 kilometers or more, the official said.

Nogovitsyn also expressed doubt over humanitarian aid delivered by the NATO ships.

The cargo allegedly transported by them could be bought in the nearest flea market, without wasting such naval resources, he pointed out.

Some of the warships arrived from Poland, which is a long way, the general said, concluding that this could hardly be merely humanitarian aid.

Interfax August 26, 2008

NATO naval grouping in Black Sea to be brought to 18 warships – Gen.Staff

MOSCOW – The Russian military is concerned about the build-up of the NATO warship grouping in the Black Sea and does not believe their mission is to deliver humanitarian aid to Georgia.

“The flurry of activity of the NATO naval forces, which continue building up their grouping in the Black Sea, arouses suspicion,” Russian General Staff Deputy Head Col. Gen. Anatoly Nogovitsyn told the press in Moscow on Tuesday.

Whereas there were nine NATO warships in the Black Sea at noon August 25, by the evening one more U.S frigate passed through the Bosporus Strait, he said.

“Moreover, we have learned that eight more NATO warships are to arrive shortly,” Nogovitsyn said.

“What is the purpose of all this? References are being made to scheduled exercises. And indeed, one can see some legitimacy in this.

“But these eight [warships, expected to arrive in the Black Sea] will carry cargoes of a different kind, not humanitarian aid,” Nogovitsyn said.

“It’s very hard to believe that all other arrivals [of NATO warships at Georgian ports] were for humanitarian aid purposes only, as declared,” the general said