Confrontation in the Black Sea

Yesterday, Vladimir Putin issued his latest threat to the West, declaring “there will be an answer” to the increase in NATO ships in the Black Sea. “We don’t understand what American ships are doing on the Georgian shores, but this is a decision by our American colleagues,” he said. “The second question is why the humanitarian aid is being delivered on naval vessels armed with the newest rocket systems.” [snip]

Now that Putin has raised the issue, however, we need to begin thinking about whether Russia will try to interdict American aid deliveries in the coming days. That would seem inconceivable, but we did not anticipate an invasion either.

At first glance, committing America’s largest vessels to the Georgian conflict sounds drastic. Yet at this point we have to assume that former Soviets will try almost anything in the Black Sea...

[maybe Russia's military invasion of Georgia is why we're using armed ships to deliver relief? ]

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Russia ships to join Venezuela naval exercises in Caribbean

BOGOTA, COLOMBIA -- The Venezuelan government announced today that four Russian naval vessels will participate in joint exercises in the Caribbean this year, a move that could heighten already strained relations between Washington and Moscow.

Venezuela's naval intelligence chief, Adm. Salbatore Cammarata Bastidas, said in a statement that a task force including four Russian naval vessels and 1,000 Russian military personnel would take part in mid-November exercises with Venezuelan frigates, patrol boats, submarines and aircraft.

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