Selfless blow

I read about how the Russian cruiser behaved aggressively off the coast of Scotland, laughed for a long time, how well fear has big eyes.
Was looking for a story that happened in the '80s and found here because of such stories were afraid of the Soviet Union and Russia are afraid.

In the second half of the 80s of the last century in the history of the Soviet Navy underwent an unusual case involving a physical confrontation between the two warships of the USSR and the United States off the coast of the Crimea.
To the satisfaction of the incident ended with a peaceful outcome, although it seemed a military conflict can not be avoided.
Known, the Black Sea, in the northern part of which is based and operates the Black Sea Fleet of the Soviet Union has nothing to do with the Gulf of Mexico, where hosted American ships.

However, in 1986 the American cruiser URO "Yorktown" and destroyer "Caron", passing through the Bosporus and Dardanelles resolutely headed for the coast of Crimea. Going from Feodosia, American ships have proceeded smoothly along the southern coast of Crimea and left over the Bosphorus Strait. Checking vigilance and readiness Black Sea Fleet to provide timely opposition ended without conflicts.
In 1988, the old friends re-entered the Black Sea, but this time kontrkursom - already from Sevastopol. The American duo of ships moving on the dial of the Black Sea in the direction opposite - as if in a clockwise direction, pressing in our territorial waters so pointedly that any doubts about the good intentions of overseas vizitёrov fell away.

It should be noted that the International Convention for the Navigation, signed by the USSR in the mid-eighties, provides for the innocent passage of warships with weapons on board through the "appendix" territorial waters of coastal states. But only in exceptional cases, to reduce the ways and mandatory implementation of a number of requirements. Do not carry out reconnaissance missions, not to raise into the air craft, not to conduct exercises and deliver headache coastal State.

This convention the Soviet Union has not ratified, what American sailors undoubtedly knew. American demarche on our shores two modern warships wore pronounced reconnaissance character. Americans are plotted according to our territorial waters consciously, without goal cut your way.

Soviet Black Sea Fleet patrol ship TFR pr. 1135 "selfless" just returned from a six-month voyage in the Mediterranean Sea. The crew was well prepared, had the experience of swimming in coastal waters of a number of foreign countries. Months spent in the sea, not in vain, they gave the sailors of good seamanship.
Black Sea Fleet Command has directed the "selfless" to trace the activities of the two American ships, to find out their intentions. Being on parallel courses several times our ships on international channel of communication warned Americans: "You are violating the state border of the USSR." The same warning duplicated Flag semaphore. In response, the Americans responded something like, "Okay", continuing to follow its course.
Then the commander of the "selfless" Captain 2nd Rank Vladimir Bogdashin received an order: to oust American ships from the Soviet territorial waters. Easy to say, displace! But how to do it without the use of weapons and given that the displacement of the TFR in the two and a half times less than the American cruiser.

The decision in this situation would be one thing - to carry out bulk Soviet patrol ship to the offender, or rather, to put a series of blows to the body of an American ship. In aviation, this maneuver is called "ram" the enemy.

Received once again with the "Yorktown" - "We do not break!" And with the Law on the state border of the USSR, the crew of "selfless" started to take decisive action. Urgency of the situation demanded that the commander Captain 2nd Rank V.Bogdashina making exceptional solutions. And it was accepted.

The history of modern navy knew nothing of the sort. The conscious contact were hard ships, devoid of armor and armed with a fairly gentle missile and torpedo weapons.

At first, the ships were parallel courses. "Yorktown" gave a big wave that impede convergence. "Selfless" increased speed and quickly began to overtake the US missile with its port side. A huge body "Yorktown" seemed unnaturally large and inaccessible, half obscured their superstructures horizon. According to internal ship broadcast personnel "selfless", it was announced that the ship comes to physical contact with the American. Scream at the sealed compartments.

"Selfless" took the right and lowered right anchor legs which, like spikes hedgehog, bristling out.

Undoubtedly, the command of an American cruiser did not understand the actions of the Soviet patrol ship. Free watch sailors gathered on the upper bridge superstructures, photographed, shouting something. Carefree kind of American sailors, their self-confidence and calm stressed haughty indifference to the Soviet patrol ships.
The confrontation reached a climax. "Selfless" reached "Yorktown" SKR-6 came to starboard "Caron". Were near the border auxiliary ships and vessels of the fleet. To be more convincing in the air were raised two TU-95 and anti-aircraft BE-12 with suspended missiles. On the "Yorktown" continuously navigation radar and air surveillance station adversary, reporting the situation to the commander of the cruiser.

The first blow "selfless" fell "Yorktown" in the middle part, in the area of ​​the ladder. Crumpled guardrails, stunning dumbfounded "yorktauntsev" screech of steel. Half-mast trёhtonny anchor by clicking on board the cruiser, struck him several times and dents. The next moment he broke off and fell into the sea.

As if the wind blew from the bridge of American sailors. Could be heard on the "Yorktown" declared an emergency alarm, and all fled to action stations.

After the first blow stem "selfless" went to the left, but his food fell upon cruiser near the containers with anti-ship missiles "Harpoon", smashed four containers. There was a risk of damage to our torpedo tubes. Very rudder to "right on board", "selfless" again launched an attack nose into a fighting stance. The second blow to the American was very strong.
"Yorktown" shuddered, and "selfless" for a moment, got to roll 13 degrees, exposing titanium Bulba. Trim by the stern reached four degrees. So the food was on a section of the water level. The next moment the stem "selfless" went on to sweep away "Yorktown" everything that came along the way stanchions, bollards, neck, sheets and other add-ons protruding parts, turning it all into scrap metal. Under fireworks sparks a few seconds heard chilling crack destructible structures. Were seen flying off lumps of paint, smoke from a strong friction - while the nose guard ship does not slip down.

After that, Nava ram commander USS estimated finally, the danger of the moment. "Yorktown" shifted the wheel to the right. In a few minutes he came out of the Soviet territorial waters in neutral. All share the "crowding out" took no more than fifteen minutes. "Yorktown" came into our waters by about 2, 5 miles, "Caron" - about 7 miles.

While the "selfless" fought "Yorktown" patrol boat SKR-6 frightening blows inflicted similar to stem "Caron", however, because of its small displacement with less success.

Actions warships hedging ice-class vessel "Yamal". Ice belt and strengthening the body cargo ship were much more powerful than the body patrol ships, but chase at speeds of twenty knots for the new American cruiser "Yamal" could not.

Force ramming "selfless" realized later. In point of contact at the edge cracks in the 80 and 120 mm, in the region of the ship there was a small hole trails, several large dents received and titanium bow bulb. Already in the factory was found to offset four motors and couplings.

On the "Yorktown" near the middle superstructure, apparently, a fire broke out, the Americans in fire suits descended, unwinding fire hoses, with the intention to put out something.

"Selfless" for some time lost sight of American ships. Then again increased the speed and finally gave a "victory lap" around "Yorktown" and "Caron". "Yorktown" seemed dead - not a single person on the decks and bridges could not be seen.

As to the "Caron" was about a half cables on the deck and superstructure of the destroyer emptied, probably the whole crew. Dozens, hundreds of flashbulbs sparkled on the "Caron" seeing "selfless" that's such a photo applause.

Otsvechivaya gold letters in the stern, "selfless" and proudly flew past, as if nothing had happened, headed for Sevastopol.

Vladimir Bogdashin commander patrol boat "selfless": - "No one in contrast to the US not chickened out! No violation, everything is clear. Warrant Officer I had Shmorgun - just superhuman strength! And when these "Harpoons" approach to our board, he was standing there with a rope: "Even a little, I would have snagged and pulled out a rocket!" I know him: he is our 120-kilogram rocket loaded manually!
On the aft deck jumped emergency group, consisting mainly of black sailors, and fire hoses in the hands ran down. But when negros seen more broken and hanging head missiles, then took up the head and fled. And in the next 15 minutes, did not appear. Meanwhile, the cruiser fire started. 6 SKR-paced bow and anchor on the helicopter deck, destroying everything in its path. And this despite the fact that our TFR 2-4 times less amerikantsev.Zato much more decisively. When the Yankees tried to lift helicopters in the air above them appeared a couple of our turntables with full underwing pylons. Helicopters Americans smartly rolled into the hangar, extinguished the fire and rushed to a race to the Bosphorus.

Journalist: - And the Americans?

V.B.- They are good sailors. But psychologically weaker. To die for their country in their plans do not include ... They were stunned: the legend that they are the best, collapsed. They received a group of vehicles that are less blocked. They, when I offered them assistance (as it should), the cabins were. The cruiser was like dead - so they were shocked ...
....- A year later, when I was at the Naval Academy, I was presented with the Order of the Red Star. "We know for what, - said the head of department. - But it says here "for the development of new technology». »

According to foreign sources, the incident "Yorktown" repaired several months in one of the shipyards. The commander of the cruiser was dismissed for passive action and giving the Soviet ship initiative than inflicted moral damage the prestige of the US Navy. The US Congress has frozen almost half the budget of the naval department.

Oddly enough, but in our country any attempts to accuse the Soviet sailors in wrongdoing, sea robbery and so on. This was done mainly for political purposes and for the sake of the West. Serious bases they had under itself, and the charges were scattered like a house of cards. Because in this case the fleet showed determination and simply carry out its functions.

American cruiser URO Yorktown, USS Yorktown (CG 48).





TFR "selfless" rams American



The picture was taken on board the American ship, during the impact.





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