Ria Novosti News

Ukrainian forces attacked drilling platforms in the Black Sea owned by a Crimean oil and gas company, the pro-Russian head of the annexed peninsula said on Monday, giving no details of what weapons were used.Three people were wounded and a search was underway for seven workers from the Chernomorneftegaz energy company, Sergei Askyonov, the Russian-installed head of Crimea, said in a post on Telegram.Crimean officials said work on three drilling platforms had been suspended after the hit, with fires reported.Reuters was unable to immediately verify the reports. Ukraine's military declined to comment.Russian-backed officials seized Chernomorneftegaz from Ukraine's national gas operator Naftogaz as part of Moscow's annexation of the peninsula in 2014. The company is under U.S.

Product tanker Agia Zoni II reported water ingress, sinking, in the early hours of Sunday  in Saronikos Gulf, south of Athens at anchorage west of Piraeus, with some 2500 tons of fuel on board, and two crew. The local media reports that Aghia Zoni II took on water while it was anchored and sank at 2.45 a.m., after sailing from the Aspropyrgos distilleries in the early hours of Saturday carrying 2,200 metric tons of fuel oil and 370 metric tons of marine gas oil. It is not yet known what caused the sinking. According to eKathimerini, its crew of two were rescued by a nearby ship and taken to shore, where doctors at Piraeus’s Tzaneio Hospital gave them the all-clear.

The world is closely watching several contentious flash points that have potential to ignite. The behavior and rhetoric of China and Russia regarding vital shipping lanes in international waters have been alarming. Disputed sovereignty claims and efforts to enforce them have the maritime world on edge. China’s nine-dash line claims about owning the entire East and South China Sea have created a dilemma for themselves and the other nations in the region. The Philippines v. China case with the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague commenced on Jan.

Russia's sixth Yasen-class nuclear submarine will be laid down at the Sevmash ship-building company in the city of Severodvinsk on July 29, reports RIA Novosti. The Navy currently possesses one Yasen-class submarine, the Severodvinsk, with four more vessels of this class under construction and two, including the Perm, yet to be laid down. "The submarine will be called 'Perm.' The laying down of the vessel is timed to take place close to the Navy Day, celebrated on July 31," the newspaper said quoting source. According to Sputnik, a total of six updated Yasen-class submarines are due to join the Russian Navy by 2020. The Severodvinsk vessel has a submerged displacement of 13…

Russia could supply air defence systems and other equipment to the Indian Vikrant-class aircraft carrier currently under construction, says a report by IANS. The first of the Vikrant-class aircraft carriers, the INS Vikramaditya, is Russian-built. The second vessel of the class, INS Vikrant, is set to become Indias first indigenous carrier. However, according to Viktor Kladov,  the head of Russian conglomerate Rostec, India still needs Russia’s technical assistance in various aspects of the INS Vikrant project. “Guidance systems, air defense systems, as well as various systems of airborne weaponry, including anti-aircraft, could be supplied on board the aircraft carrier.

Ministry of the Environment sent to the government documents on the transfer of "Rosneft" and "Gazprom" licenses for the development of four more fields on the Arctic shelf, he said in an interview with RIA Novosti Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Minister Sergei Donskoi. Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Minister Sergei Donskoi also added that the decision to suspend the issuance of licenses for parts of the shelf is not accepted, and the Department continues to issue licenses for the development of the Arctic shelf in accordance with current legislation, according to RIA Novosti. "The proposal to suspend the issuing of licenses on the shelf was considered, but we continue to issue licenses under the current legislation.

Russia has submitted its bid for vast territories in the Arctic to the United Nations, AP reported as the Foreign Ministry saying. The ministry said in a statement that Russia is claiming 1.2 million square kilometres (over 463,000 square miles) of Artic sea shelf extending more than 350 nautical miles (about 650 kilometres) from the shore. It said the bid contains new arguments. “Ample scientific data collected in years of Arctic research are used to back the Russian claim,” it said. Moscow also is asserting ownership of the emerging Northern Sea Route, the potentially lucrative seasonal shipping route opening above its northern coastline as Arctic ice melts. Rivalry for Arctic resources has intensified as shrinking polar ice is opening up new opportunities for exploration.

"As a result of re-hearing Association based on its own observations and conclusions Greenpeace concluded that inappropriate construction of the oil terminal" Tanalau "on the Yenisei River. The main comments from the public have become concerns for environmental safety of construction and further operation of the terminal in the Far North, "- said in a statement the association. The organization offers to build a deep-water terminal in Port Dickson, as there has all the necessary infrastructure, he told RIA Novosti chairman of the Association of Sidor Chuprin. Previously, the project of construction of the oil terminal "Tanalau" commented Greenpeace.

About 10 Russian and Azerbaijani ships will take part in a joint naval exercise in the Caspian Sea for the first time; RIA Novosti cited the statement of Russia’s Southern Military District.    "The military officials of the countries reached a decision during consultations to hold a joint exercise on the defense of maritime economic infrastructure on September 2015," says the statement.   According to the statement, Caspian Flotilla and ships of Azerbaijan will check the provision of the protection of international maritime security in the Caspian Sea; joint artillery strikes at maritime and air targets, provision of assistance to a wrecked ship, etc.   Russia and China concluded their first-ever joint naval exercise in the Mediterranean Sea just two days ago.

Expedition ''Kara-Winter 2015'', organized by the oil giant Rosneft, left from the city of Murmansk to study the surface ice in the Arctic, accompanied by the icebreaker Yamal. This is the third year of research expeditions organized by Rosneft with the support of specialists from the Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute. The purpose of the expedition is to continue large-scale Arctic research under the exploration program of licensed shelf oil fields. “This expedition is larger than the previous ones in terms of number of participants and by type of activity. There are fifty-two expedition members on board including pilots. In addition to standard work…

Norwegian authorities have given the Stavanger-based energy giant Statoil the go-ahead on joint projects with Rosneft, a Russian oil titan that was the target of Western sanctions in 2014. Statoil and Rosneft previously agreed on four projects to explore and produce oil on the Russian continental shelf in the Barents Sea and in the Sea of Okhotsk close to the Arctic Circle. Additionally, there are two joint cooperation projects onshore. Statoil has received certain authorisations from the Norwegian authorities to continue its participation in the projects described above, RIA Novosti reports. Last year, Norway upheld economic sanctions that the European Union and the United States imposed on the Russian energy sector.

The Arctic is heating up, both climatically and militarily. Vladimir Putin sends troops and jets to oil- and gas-rich region also coveted by Canada, United States, Norway and Denmark. A report by the Inquisitr says that although not a single politician or world leader has specifically mentioned the possibility of World War 3 over Arctic oil drilling, many experts feel long term economic pressures may be the driver for war. Vladimir Putin's deployment of thousands of Russian ground troops into the Arctic might seem simply like a strategic shift north of Europe, but why put so many men so far away? Analysts feel that it is in reaction to NATO’s recent interest in the region.

The Russian Navy celebrates its professional holiday by putting two new submarines into service and expects a new warship in the fall and several additional ships for its Black Sea Fleet off the Crimean coast in the next three years, reports official news agency Ria Novosti. A multipurpose nuclear submarine Severodvinsk and a Borei-class strategic nuclear submarine Alexander Nevsky will be put into service, with more laid down in the series of the ships. Nuclear submarines Krasnoyarsk and Knyaz Oleg are expected to be laid down at the industrial base of the Sevmash shipyard in the city of Severodvinsk, Arkhangelsk region on Sunday. Two more submarines, Novorossiysk and a lead frigate Admiral Grigorovich are being tested, with the lead mine sweeper Alexander Obukhov floated out.

Russian Ministry of Finance transferred the first tranche of 5 million euros for implementation of environmental projects of the Arctic Council. This amount is the first payment of Russia’s financial contribution with the total amount of 10 million euros to the Project Support Fund of the Arctic Council, established by the Nordic Environment Finance Corporation (NEFCO). The funds are to be transferred in two tranches of 5 million euros each in 2014 and 2015, respectively, reports RIA Novosti. The Fund will use them to eliminate hotbeds of pollution in the Arctic, as well as to reduce atmospheric emissions of harmful substances, including those directly affecting climate change.

Russia's President Vladimir Putin stressed the need for the utmost transparency in implementing economic activities in the Arctic region, reports official news agency Arctic-info. The head of state made his views known during a recent round table meeting in St. Petersburg dedicated to the safe and efficient development of the Arctic. Citing Ria Novosti news agency, Arctic-info reports President Putin as explaining that the utmost transparency in particular requires continuous dialogue with civic society institutes, environmental protection organizations, of course, with those who are pursuing noble goals, rather than speculating on environmental issues. The President added that Russia advocates the development of international cooperation in the Arctic, including on environmental issues.

The combat dolphin program in the Crimean city of Sevastopol will be preserved and redirected towards the interests of the Russian Navy, according to a report by official news agency RIA Novosti. The program, dating to the 1960s, was previously scheduled to be disbanded by the Ukrainian navy in April, but the facility and the dolphins themselves have now become Russian following the recent reunification of Crimea with Russia. The dolphins are trained to patrol open water and attack or attach buoys to items of military interest…

A United Nations commission has officially recognized the Sea of Okhotsk enclave, off Russia’s southeastern coast, as part of the country’s continental shelf, informs Ria Novosti citing the Russian minister of natural resources. Russia will get exclusive rights to the area of 52,000 square kilometers, considered by the government to be an Ali Baba’s cave containing reserves of valuable minerals and other natural resources. The recession of Arctic sea ice in recent years due to…

A Senegalese navy ship has detained the 'Oleg Naidenov' with 62 Russians and 23 nationals of Guinea-Bissau on board, for alleged illegal fishing within the West African state's coastal waters. The trawler was escorted in to the port of Dakar, reports Ria Novosti. The vessel was being guarded by military police in a closed naval port in the Senegalese capital, Dakar, and the passports of all the crewmembers have been confiscated,  Ria Novosti reports, citing Yury Parshev, executive director of Feniks, the company that owns the Oleg Naidenov.

A second Borey-class nuclear-powered submarine, the 'Alexander Nevsky', will most likely be delivered to the Russian Navy around the end of November or early December this year, reports Ria Novosti, citing Russia’s United Shipbuilding Corporation. The state sea trials of the Alexander Nevsky were suspended in September, 2013, following an unsuccessful launch of a Bulava submarine-launched ballistic missile from the submarine. However, the trials of the submarine were resumed in October, and the vessel is expected to be put into service with the Navy even without additional Bulava testing.

A naval task force from Russia’s Northern Fleet is heading to the eastern Arctic, taking the Northern Sea Route (NSR) reports Ria Novosti, citing a spokesperson for the fleet. Led by the heavy nuclear-powered guided-missile cruiser Pyotr Veliky, the task force, which includes the large amphibious assault ships Olenegorsky Gornyak and Kondopoga and a variety of support vessels, has left its Severomorsk base and has entered the Barents Sea. The warships will take the Northern Sea Route to the Novossibirsk Islands and carry out a number training missions…

The Deputy Head of the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation, Viktor Olersky, accompanied by the Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization, Koji Sekimizu, on an inspection visit at the eastern sector of the Northern Sea Route, told RiaNovosti that traffic on the Northern Sea Route may increase more than 8 times by 2020, reaching 30 million tonnes a year. Citing Olersky, Ria Novosti report that today there is active development of the shelves of the Barents and Kara Seas with dozens of oil platforms each supplied by two or three vessels. The port of Sabetta under construction, according to preliminary estimates of the deputy head of the ministry, will take 220 ship calls each year.

The United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC), is under criticism from Russian President Vladimir Putin for delays in delivery of several warships for the Russian Navy, RIA Novosti reported. In his complaint to USC officials, Putin cited problems with efficiency and quality on a number of projects, particularly regarding the assembly and delivery of nuclear submarines and surface ships. Putin ordered the Russian shipbuilders quicken construction without sacrificing production quality, demanding a report highlighting measures of improvement be submitted by October 15. RIA Novosti reported that after the meeting, Russian Industry and Trade Minister Denis Manturov said that the USC had fallen behind schedule on approximately 30 percent of its contracts with the Defense Ministry…

Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev calls for environmental protection along the Nord Stream natural gas pipeline under the Baltic Sea. Nord Stream operates two gas pipelines, running 1,224 km the length of the Baltic Sea from Russia to Germany with a total annual capacity of 55 billion cubic metres. Russia's Gazprom owns 51 percent of Nord Stream, while German, French and Dutch shareholders have the rest. Medvedev pointed out that  more 40 million euros ($51 million) will be spent in the next three years to organize monitoring along the whole pipeline, and urged that both Baltic State governments and private businesses should join forces for the protection of the pipeline for environmental reasons. Source: Ria Novosti