Article

2008-09-26 Africa Horn

Ukrainian ship seized by pirates off Somali coast. T-72 battle tanks captured.

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Posted by Fred 2008-09-26 00:00|| || Front Page|| [3 views ] Top

#1 ...saying the ship was loaded with about 30 T-72 tanks and spare parts for them.

Oh, a scow...

Posted by mojo">mojo 2008-09-26 01:24|| 2008-09-26 01:24|| Front Page Top

#2 Well the tanks might not do them any good. But...

The Ukrainian vessel was heading for the Kenyan port of Mombasa loaded down with rocket-propelled grenades, anti-aircraft guns and 30 Russian T-72 tanks.

They really hit the jackpot this time, said a regional arms expert. There is not much they can do with the tanks, but the RPGs and the Zu-23 anti-aircraft guns will soon find their way into Somalias arms markets. These are the sort of weapons that fighters in Somalia really like.

Posted by tu3031 2008-09-26 10:49|| 2008-09-26 10:49|| Front Page Top

#3 Couldn't they sell the tanks to the Islamic Courts in Mogadishu?

Posted by Ebbang Uluque6305 2008-09-26 11:38|| 2008-09-26 11:38|| Front Page Top

#4 They gotta unload them first...

A Western diplomat in Kenya, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to reporters, said the pirates would not have the know-how or the equipment to unload the tanks, which weigh more than 80,000 pounds.If there are tanks on board, the diplomat said, I dont think theres a chance in hell they can get them unloaded.

Plus, if they try, it provide the incentive to blow Eyl off the map.

Posted by tu3031 2008-09-26 11:42|| 2008-09-26 11:42|| Front Page Top

#5 maybe one of the RPGs could 'go off' while at sea and sink the thing.....
Hey it could happen, or at least be the cover story.

Posted by USN, Ret. 2008-09-26 11:45|| 2008-09-26 11:45|| Front Page Top

#6 USN Ret, yep. Specially if it fell overboard and ran into the side of the ship below the water line. Bet that would cause a really big boom.

Gotta watch out for those stray torp.....I mean stray RPG rounds.

Posted by AlanC 2008-09-26 12:35|| 2008-09-26 12:35|| Front Page Top

#7 Probably bound for Ethiopia and paid with US tax dollars. Bet the American taxpayer just increased the Islamic Courts' firepower by several fold.

Posted by ed 2008-09-26 14:23|| 2008-09-26 14:23|| Front Page Top

#8 Looks like they've pissed some people off this time...

MOSCOW - Russia's navy dispatched a warship to Somalia's coast, officials said Friday, a day after pirates there carried out their boldest attack yet the capture of a Ukrainian vessel manned with Russian and Ukranian crew and loaded with 33 tanks and ammunition bound for Kenya.

A Kenyan government spokesman, Alfred Mutua, confirmed that the East African nation's military had ordered the tanks and spare parts and said Kenya had made such a huge order of tanks as part of a two-year rearmament program for the military. "We will do whatever it takes to secure the ship," Mutua told The Associated Press when asked whether Kenya will send a naval vessel to intercept the hijacked vessel.

Roger Middleton, a researcher at London's Chatham House, said it was unlikely the pirates knew there were tanks aboard the Faina, and he said unloading the cargo would be very difficult. "Most of their attacks are based on opportunity. So if they see something that looks attackable and looks captureable, they'll attack it," he told AP."I'm not sure how helpful such a high-profile cargo will be for them. It makes them much more vulnerable," he said. "I'd imagine they're quite worried."

Dygalo said Russia's navy would periodically send ships to piracy prone areas to protect Russian citizens and Russian ships. He said the frigate set sail on Wednesday "with the aim of providing for a naval presence in a number of oceans and sea regions." According to the British-based Jane's Information Group, the frigate Neustrashimy is armed with surface-to-air missiles, 100 mm guns and anti-submarine torpedoes. Yushchenko, meanwhile, ordered unspecified measures to secure the release of the crew.

Middleton said it was unclear how the pirates might react if confronted by military action, noting that they have fled from authorities in the past. On the other hand, he said, they are usually well-armed and organized and are based in an unstable country Somalia.

"It could potentially get pretty messy," he said.

Posted by tu3031 2008-09-26 14:32|| 2008-09-26 14:32|| Front Page Top

#9 Glad I'm not in Vegas today. I wonder which of Kenya's neighbors are making the Kenyans nervous enough to increase their T-72 numbers by 40%?

Posted by ed 2008-09-26 14:45|| 2008-09-26 14:45|| Front Page Top

#10 Hmmmm. The way the Ruskies are acting you have to wonder if the Kenyans made any payments yet.

Posted by Ebbang Uluque6305 2008-09-26 16:14|| 2008-09-26 16:14|| Front Page Top

#11 Ebbang wins the thread.... :-D

Posted by Barbara Skolaut">Barbara Skolaut 2008-09-26 16:17|| http://ariellestjohndesigns.com/]">[http://ariellestjohndesigns.com/] 2008-09-26 16:17|| Front Page Top

#12 This cargo was headed for Kenya not Ethiopia. Contract is between Kenya and Russia. This being a Ukrainian operated ship and assuming owned by a Ukrainian then Russia will have no problem whatsoever just sending in Spetznaz or blowing it up. My bet is that knowing it is now Russian and the cargo Kenya's the pirates will find some way to appease both for a nifty but doable sum of money. Then the Russians will cut their throats after the negotiations.

Posted by Jack is Back!">Jack is Back! 2008-09-26 16:29|| 2008-09-26 16:29|| Front Page Top

#13 They don't have the ability to roll a 80 ton crawler crane out on a dock and unload the tanks? That's a small crane and simple rigging. If they have a concrete dock, they're in business. Maybe I should start a consulting firm for clients like this. I'd probably make a fortune and never be so much as questioned for it. Oh! Wait, I'm not French. Nevermind.

Posted by bigjim-ky 2008-09-26 18:41|| 2008-09-26 18:41|| Front Page Top

#14 Naw, Mojo had it right on the first post.
Scrap iron scow.

Posted by .5MT 2008-09-26 18:58|| www.cybernations.net]">[www.cybernations.net] 2008-09-26 18:58|| Front Page Top

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