Russian warships bearing down on Australia

[Nobody]

Looks like Russia is conducting gun ship diplomacy ahead of the G20 meeting. The website i seen is probably blowing things our of proportion but still interesting

A fleet of Russian warships is steaming towards Australia - a defiant show of force from the super power ahead of this weekend's G20 meeting of world leaders.

In diplomatic terms it's a worrying development for the Abbott Government after its attack on Russia's role in the downing of flight MH17.

Leaving China on Wednesday morning, Tony Abbott had precious little to say about his exchanges with Vladimir Putin at APEC.

However, the Prime Minister likely already knew of a developing security issue that could take his problems with President Putin to a whole new level.

7News has been told four Russian warships are bearing down on Australian waters, led by the guided missile Cruiser, Varyag, the flag ship of Russia's Pacific fleet.

Also heading south is the destroyer, Marshal Shaposhnikov - it's not short of firepower either.

https://nz.news.yahoo.com/a/-/mp/25497235/russian-warships-bearing-down-on-australia/
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-30032466

 

[bhsup]

I wouldn't worry too much about it. We got your back.

 

[FriendlyFire]

The NZ Navy which is a fleet of row boats and sailors armed with empty beer bottles is more of a threat. Most likely Russia subs will all sink due to lax maintenance and Russia reliability. Dunno about Russian surface fleet, but Russian navy has a long history of defeats. God knows why the Russians decide to build the worlds last battleship its like they are 50 years behind the rest of the world.

I keep telling the Aus government to build some tactical nukes and be done with it.

 

[warpus]

Putin is such a little baby. He felt that he was disrespected or whatever, so now he has to show a bit of force.

What is this, grade 2? I thought this guy had balls in his pants, not little balls he plays with when nobody's looking.

 

[Arwon]

The Russians often send naval presences to near big meetings. I'm also pretty entertained at the idea they care about "sending a message" to Australia.

"It’s not the first time Russian naval vessels have been present while an international summit is on.

Russian warships were around for an APEC meeting in Singapore in 2009 as well as former Russian president Dimitri Medvedev’s visit to San Francisco in 2010.

Director of the National Security Institute at the University of Canberra, Peter Leahy, says while Russia is making a “more than a subtle demonstration of power”, it isn’t doing anything wrong and is probably just asserting its position as a maritime power with global interests in the area."

 

[gay_Aleks]

I'd watch out. They might storm the evil Monarchists and their evil palace in Canberra the way it's going.

 

[Kyriakos]

How likely is it that Russia wants to threaten the status of one of the world's best chinese vassals?

btw: Varyag

 

[red_elk]

A waste of resources. Instead of sending four warships, Putin could send one tugboat or something, with the same effect "OMG the Russians are coming!".

 

[IglooDame]

Just like old times, eh?

But yeah, a Slava anti-ship cruiser and an Udaloy ASW destroyer (and one assumes one or two submarines as well) are cool, but nobody should be taking it as any kind of serious threat or message.

 

[red_elk]

Just like old times, eh?

There were several warships named after that one.
Current Slava-class cruiser is probably the coolest looking of them

Spoiler :

 

[Kyriakos]

For a modern ship that does look cool.

 

[azzaman333]

Putin is such a little baby. He felt that he was disrespected or whatever, so now he has to show a bit of force.

What is this, grade 2? I thought this guy had balls in his pants, not little balls he plays with when nobody's looking.

Eh, Tony Abbott has been talking big about how he's going to confront Putin at the G20 for weeks. It's a pretty measured response from Putin IMO, don't acknowledge the talk and subtly remind Tones who's boss.

 

[gay_Aleks]

A waste of resources. Instead of sending four warships, Putin could send one tugboat or something, with the same effect "OMG the Russians are coming!".

He could even send flowers for all we know.

 

[bhsup]

Don't forget he's former KGB / FSB. It would probably be a lapel flower that emits nerve gas.

 

[gay_Aleks]

I won't trust him even if he gave me an umbrella during a flood.

 

[classical_hero]

I think Putin is acting big because he is generally small, if you know what I mean.

 

[SS-18 ICBM]

Does Russia even have the logistics to conduct naval operations in the Southern Hemisphere?

 

[gay_Aleks]

Or if it could reap any kind of reasonable reward. What kind of tribute are they going to extract from Australia? Poisonous spiders?

 

[red_elk]

He could even send flowers for all we know.

A few tulips, or peonies maybe...

 

[Darkflight]

The USAians are sending their warships all across the world all the time and the only people in recent memory I've seen comlain about their "gunship diplomacy" is North Korea.

There is plenty of stuff the russians are doing that are worrisome or worthy of criticism, but this is not one of them.