Finland detected Russian Submarine, firing depth charges

Finnish patrol boats

Finland detected an unidentified submarine along its coast April 26, firing depth charges at the vessel, while NATO-member Latvia, a former Soviet state, in April said it detected a Russian submarine near its waters.
"Russia has a right to be at sea, just as we do," Rear Admiral Brad Williamson, the commander of the exercise said. "But the incidents we have seen are not in line with international regulations... and that's been the cause of concern."
NATO launched one of its biggest-ever anti-submarine exercises in the North Sea on May 4, inviting non-member Sweden for the first time, amid increasing tensions between Russia and its northern neighbors. More than a dozen vessels from 11 countries are participating in the "Dynamic Mongoose" exercise.

[November 24 2014 ]
The Swedish military has called off its week-long search...

The vessel, whatever it was, is now believed to have left Sweden's territorial waters.

[October 23 NS Concord destined for original loading port, Primorsk

repairs to NS Concord?

'Still, no proven facts yet.

Except the behaviour of NS Concord... What did she do in S-Petersburg during her “repairs”?   Was it some kind of a special project?   It’s an aframax tanker, not a fishing vessel. Even a year ago I’d reject the story as absolutely absurd and impossible. Now, after Crimea annexation and war in Donbass, I can’t be so sure.'   Posted on October 20, 2014, 1:02 am Voytenko Mikhail

SCF October 20:'Tanker NS Concord owned by SCF Novoship...is presently chartered for transporting a cargo of oil from the port of Primorsk in Russia'   Primorsk is a coastal town near S-Petersburg and the largest Russian port on the Baltic.   2014-10-22 23:32 - Destination stated to be Primorsk.   Tanker is in Gulf of Finland.

22 OCTOBER 2014 KL: 10.34 'The Swedish Armed Forces has established a likelihood that foreign underwater activities are being conducted in the Stockholm archipelago. The Swedish Armed Forces' assessment is also based on a number of observations over the years in a specific area by the Kanholmsfjärden bay.
"I'm unable to comment on these observations in detail, but based on this pattern we can establish that this area is of interest to foreign powers",Rear admiral Anders Grenstad during a press briefing on October 21.

The Swedish Armed Forces has moved the operation area somewhat south but the scope of the operation remains the same.

#Sweden: Armed Forces confirm it sent #Gripen fighters to identify #Russian SIGINT plane on Tuesday. #NATO as well. http://t.co/pW1rFc2bd3
— Gripen News (@GripenNews) October 22, 2014

Piranha-class (NATO reporting name Losos) 

Another funny thing #British special salvage vessel #DeepVision joined the hunt @ 16:00. https://t.co/R8dOCx6tsJ pic.twitter.com/DV6TXUPZcz
— lennutrajektoor (@lennutrajektoor) October 21, 2014

Per feedback fr @JonasMejhert & @Imint_sweden #British vessel #DeepVision is just maintaining pipeline in the area. pic.twitter.com/aafSo35S5d
— lennutrajektoor (@lennutrajektoor) October 22, 2014

One funny thing though - #Russian SAR vessle R/V Professor Logachev switched off its AIS on Sunday. Haven't been back online since.
— lennutrajektoor (@lennutrajektoor) October 21, 2014

Concord was spotted moving in a zigzag pattern in Swedish waters, as if in a search or rendezvous pattern,

“When the situation became more publicly known, NS Concord turned about and headed northeastwards towards Russian waters.

Concord was off the coast of Estonia and steaming in the direction of St. Petersburg, Russia as of October 21 pm, 

Russia has renewed its interest in midget submarines, including the Project 865 Piranha-class (NATO reporting name Losos) vessel, two of which have been based in the Baltic in the past. They are exceptionally quiet, stealthy, and with a low detection signature.   The submersible could be a Project 908 Triton II swimmer delivery vehicle (LSDV), a 6-ton craft capable of delivering six combat divers with a range of 60 nautical miles.

But as the search continues, the prospect of a Triton as the suspected craft is less likely given the sub’s 12-hour endurance.

[October 21.Russian sub: welcome back Domino]

Russia has renewed its interest in midget submarines, including the Project 865 Piranha-class (NATO reporting name Losos) vessel, two of which have been based in the Baltic in the past. They are exceptionally quiet, stealthy, and with a low detection signature.   The submersible could be a Project 908 Triton II swimmer delivery vehicle (LSDV), a 6-ton craft capable of delivering six combat divers with a range of 60 nautical miles.

But as the search continues, the prospect of a Triton as the suspected craft is less likely given the sub’s 12-hour endurance.

[October 21

From  Piranha-class (NATO reporting name Losos)  SDV / diver propulsion device

The military has asked civilian vessels to evacuate the area between Nattaro island and Danziger Gatt.

Radio Sweden P6. 20 oktober kl 10:23 :A Russian-owned oil tanker, the NS Concord, was reported to be sailing in circles in international water outside the archipelago.

Russian oil tanker, NS Concord going in circles, rumoured to be mothership to suspect mini sub which is being hunted pic.twitter.com/wboEeSZ5J3
— Daniel aka Pharao (@DanAkaPharao) October 20, 2014

[October 19]

from Thunderball

from Russia

Domino, we need you

Are the Russians testing out a prototype mini-submarine known as the Triton NN?

A  prototype underwent government testing in 2008. It is meant to combine the qualities of a speed boat and a submersile and might have been issued to navy special forces in Kaliningrad.  Former Triton models were so-called wet submarines, s completely water-filled craft that was technically easier to produce and are not as sensitive to the depth charges as they can not be compressed.   Speculation runs that NS Concord is outside the archipelago to relay radio traffic. Mini submarines underwater is quite poor communication capabilities.

[October 19 Russian research vessel seems headed for Russian sub]

 It was likely that a foreign power was undertaking “underwater activities” around the islands off the coast of Sweden’s capital city. a Russian research vessel equipped for underwater search operations was heading for Swedish waters. The ship, the Professor Logachev, has a stated destination of Las Palmas, but is currently in the Baltic to the south-west of Hangö in Finland. 

[earlier Liberian-flag NS Concord patrolling near damaged russian submarine ]

Sub? what sub?

NS Concord

Svenska Dagbladet claims
A distress signal in Russian preceded the submarine alert in the archipelago of Stockholm. When the military search operation started radio communication between a transmitter in the archipelago and a transmitter in Kaliningrad was detected. This indicates that there could be a damaged russian submarine in Swedish waters.

The Svenska Dagbladet daily reported that the Swedes had picked up an emergency message suggesting a Russian mini-submarine had run into trouble in Swedish waters and could be damaged.

But Russia’s Defense Ministry said Russian submarines and ships have been “fulfilling their tasks in the world’s oceans,” according to plan, Russian news agencies reported.

“There have been no emergencies or accidents with Russian military vessels,” an unnamed spokesman at the ministry was quoted as saying.

Anders Nordin from the Swedish Maritime Administration said a Russian-owned oil tanker, NS Concord, which had reportedly been circling near Swedish waters for days, started sailing in a northeasterly direction toward Russia on Sunday morning. But it suddenly turned around and headed back in the direction of Sweden, accordin g to Marine Traffic, a website which monitors vessels in the Baltic Sea.

Media reports said the movements of the Liberian-flagged tanker might be connected to the submarine search.

NS CONCORD
Crude Oil Tanker
IMO: 9299692
MMSI: 636012382
Call Sign: A8FD7
Flag: Liberia (LR)
AIS Type: Tanker
Gross Tonnage: 57248
Deadweight: 105902 t
Length × Breadth: 244m × 42.03m
Year Built: 2005
Status: Active


Flag: Liberia Signal Letters: A8FD7
Port: MONROVIA

Owner: Wyatt Marine Co GT (ITC 69): 57,248
(140058)   (LRF / Company identification no: 5210645) NT (ITC 69): 32,797
Manager: SCF Novoship Technical Management DWT: 109,919
(10133063)   (LRF / Company identification no: 5736481)
DocHolder: SCF Novoship Technical Management
(10133063)   (LRF / Company identification no: 5736481)
SCF Novoship Technical Management is the SCF Group`s new fleet technical manager. The company provides services to third-party ship-owners as well.

OAO Novoship owns one hundred percent of the new organisation’s authorised capital stock. OOO SCF Novoship Technical Management carries on the traditions of Novorossiysk Shipping Company in the field of high quality fleet management.

In December 2012, OAO Novoship`s board of directors took the decision to create a separate technical manager with the aim of unifying SCF Group activities and bringing Novoship’s company structure into line with SCF universal standards.

OOO SCF Novoship Technical Management employs 81 staff recruited from OAO Novoship`s former fleet management department. OAO Novoship remains in charge of crewing and all administrative functions, including both legal and accounting services.

On 1 July, 2013, OOO SCF Novoship Technical Management commenced operations in Novorossiysk, Russia.
    -  Today Novoship Group owns and operates 48 modern vessels aggregating more than 4.5 million deadweight tons.
     -  Novoship has one of the youngest fleets in the industry – the vessels are 8 years old on average.
     -  OOO SCF Novoship Technical Management operates the fleet of Novoship and a number of third-party vessels.
     -  The Company`s priorities include development of the Russian shipping industry, maintaining high safety standards, employing highly professional staff, and maximizing shareholders` value.
     -  Novoship is a major taxpayer both in Krasnodar region and the Russian Federation.
     -  Novoship Group employs nearly 4,000 seafarers and shore-based personnel.
     -  14 Russian subsidiaries are involved in marine and onshore businesses throughout the south of Russia.

Arctic Sea: return to the scene of the crime

Arctic Sea: Approaching hijacking site again

Finnish investigators are due back from Russia where they went to interview the alleged hijackers of the Arctic Sea, a vessel thought to have been caught illegally transporting AA missiles to Iran on that voyage. Meanwhile, the vessel is again approaching the scene of that incident. Finnish investigators have been cooperating in the probe along with Malta and Sweden.

Arctic Sea: Christmas in English Channel

Turned AIS transponder off after leaving Setubal around 12/22/2009 6:27:54 AM (UTC)and back on again on entering English Channel around 12/25/2009 12:50:35 AM (UTC)

Arctic Sea: Gone underground away from Finns?

Finnish investigators are travelling to Russia on December 16 to conduct an investigation into the hijacking of the Arctic Sea ship. Accordingly, the stated destination of the phantom vessel was changed at 2009-12-16 21:22 to read "Underground." Previously, the destination had read 2009-12-21 08:00 Kotka [Finland]. The vessel last turned on its AIS transponder to enter Setubal Portugal.

Rabbe von Hertzen, who is heading up the investigation, says two members of the National Bureau of Investigation (KRP) are to question suspects and meet with Russian investigators. They are to return to Finland on December 18.

Von Hertzen says the trip is necessary because the suspects are being held in Russia.

The Arctic Sea was seized by a group of hijackers in Swedish waters in the Baltic Sea in July. The vessel was carrying a load of lumber from Finland to Algeria. The Russian Navy regained control of the ship off Africa’s west coast in August.

Arctic Sea: Romanova-Lebedeva reappears

A lawyer working on the case of the hijacked ship Arctic Sea has been found after going missing for several days. Yelena Romanova-Lebedeva's disappearance was reported to police after she was not seen nor heard from since leaving her Moscow office on December 9.

On December 13, Natalya Volkova, also a lawyer,said Romanova-Lebedeva had been away for professional reasons and had not been kidnapped."Yelena Romanova-Lebedeva is in Moscow. Her absence was connected to her professional activities," Volkova said.

The Arctic Sea last used its AIS transponder entering Setubal, Portugal.

Arctic Sea: Phantom vessel near Lisbon

Vessel turns on AIS transponder to enter Setubal, circles to pick up pilot? Turns off AIS transponder.

Arctic Sea: Pusan Bound?

Arctic Sea: Phantom Vessel Off Majorca

The Maltese-flagged vessel suspected by some of carrying AA Russian missiles destined for Iran, intercepted by the Russian Navy, and released, in time, and freshly painted, at Malta free of any trace of such cargo, is now off Palma , the major city and port on the island of Majorca.
While Russian reports stated The Arctic Sea cargo vessel is unloading its cargo of timber in the Algerian port of Bejaia under close scrutiny by the country's national security officials, such arrival and departure information has not been found in the usual web sites.
Also from Russian reports: Russian courts decide not to hand the case to investigators in Malta or Sweden.

Arctic Sea: Exciting expense account

Victor Matveev, CEO of the presumptive manager of the Arctic Sea, has posted an exciting expense account for this adventure.

Item: " Travelling costs and expenses of Mr. Nikolay Chemakin and Mr. Nikolay Karpenkov to Las Palmas, following request from representatives of the State Party, amounting to €3,672;"
...When the vessel was 'found,'
"Solchart Archangelsk director and shareholder Nikolai Karpenkov was making preparations in his office to send a new crew to the ship. However, he was still waiting for the go-ahead from the Russian Navy.

So why didn’t Karpenkov insist that the ship should have proceeded to the nearest port after the hijacking that took place in Swedish waters.
“The captain said that the ship was not damaged. We did not suspect that the hijackers were still on board.”

...When suspicions about the cargo arose:
"There couldn't have been hidden weapons on board by definition," says Nikolai Chemakin, the ship's technical superintendent, pointing to a picture hanging on the wall of the Arctic Sea loaded with timber. "Look, there is nowhere to hide such things."

Arctic Sea: It is all about Photographs

cargo offloaded to this tanker, Iman



Anton Surikov, a Russian security expert and former military intelligence officer, advances the theory that smugglers, with the backing of elements in Russia's security services, may have loaded ammunition and anti-tank missiles bound for Hizbollah in Lebanon, and four Kh-55 cruise missiles to be fitted to Sukhoi-24 bombers for Iran, on to the ship as it underwent repairs in Kaliningrad.

Mr Surikov says he believes that when the the ship was boarded in the dead of night on July 24 off Sweden, the attackers found the weapons cache, photographed it as evidence and left.

His scenario fits with initial reports conveyed by police in Sweden that the crew reported being attacked by about 10 men posing as Swedish policemen who searched the ship and departed in an inflatable dinghy. The photos were then shown, thinks Mr Surikov, to the UK and US security services - which arranged a second incursion as the Arctic Sea disappeared on August 1.


Nikolai Chemakin, the Arctic Sea's technical superintendent in Arkhangelsk has just returned from a trip to the Canary Islands, where Russian prosecutors investigating the ship refused to let him on board. "Something changed when he got there and we don't know why," says Captain Ivan Boyko, deputy head of Solchart Arkhangelsk, an offshoot of the Russian-controlled Finnish company that operates the Arctic Sea,. "I'm not God so I don't know what happened but I'm sure our men could not have been involved in shipping weapons." Solchart sent a Russian from Arkhangelsk to investigate the Russians from Arkhangelsk onboard.

Arctic Sea: Task Force to access crew?

"The investigation is going on and it will take some time before we have concluded," says Jan-Olof Nyholm, detective superintendent at Finland’s Centralkriminalpolisen, Finland's National Bureau of Investigation, and a spokesman for the four-nation, [Sweden, Finland, Estonia and Malta], Helsinki-based police task force investigating the case. When asked if the task force has had access to the crew and hijackers as yet, he stated emphatically, "I think we'll make some progress here."

Russian Arctic Sea crew back home

NTV television says 11 crewmen arrived Saturday in the northern city of Arkhangelsk. It aired footage Sunday of reunions with relatives on a railroad platform. Russian authorities have charged eight men of different nationalities of hijacked the the Arctic Sea which was on it way from Finland to north Africa with timber. The investigation into the hijacking is made more complicated by the fact that the ship flies under the Maltese flag, the shipping line is Finnish, but is under Russian ownership, the entire crew are Russian, and the hijackers are apparently from the Baltic countries.

Arctic Sea: cargo tipped into the Atlantic

Published reports quote an anonymous high-ranking Russian Navy source who claims the pirates are believed to have been recruited as stooges by the intelligence services of a European Union country to intercept the ship and thwart the delivery of the missiles, according to a Russian newspaper, citing secret services sources in Russia. The paper suggested that the illegal cargo may have been tipped into the Atlantic, or have been secretly unloaded by the Russian navy which found the ship close to the Cape Verde islands off the west coat of Africa.

Some maritime security experts suspect the men had not been on the ship at all, but were part of an elaborate cover-up. The Russians seem to be treating the Arctic Sea as a pirate ship, rather than a ship captured by pirates. The Basmanny District Court has issued a writ seizing the ship, and the Russian navy is towing the vessel to Novorossiysk, apparently without stopping to unload its timber in Algeria. And rather than being released, the crew has apparently been detained in Moscow for what Alexander Bastrykin, the head of the Investigative Committee, called “urgent interrogation.”

Arctic Sea: big lumber company, small shipment

Stora Enso owns 250 cubic meters of sawn timber with a value of about Eur 50,000 out of the total 6,700 cubic meters of timber cargo with a value of Eur 1,3 million on board the Arctic Sea,
Stora Enso and UPM sold the goods, 1,750 and 250 cubic meters respectively, to their joint venture, distribution company RETS, Nordlund said. RETS had to deliver the goods to the port of destination (Bejaia, Algeria).

The original destination of the Arctic Sea was Algeria. The ship is being towed by the Russian Navy.
“I am surprised that the ship wasn’t refuelled in Cape Verde. Fuel is available in all harbours. Perhaps the navy wants to keep the ship in its own hands.”

The Finnish owners of the vessel’s cargo said they were simply shipping redwood for windows and doors in Algeria.

“We sold the timber to three customers in Algeria.” He declined to give the customers’ names.

The police have not questioned the company about the ship and its freight. Rets Timber, a joint venture between Europe’s largest papermaker, Stora Enso Oyj, and UPM-Kymmene Oyj, Kari Naumanen, chief executive officer at Helsinki-based Rets. Most of the lumber came from other companies. here

The Russian tabloid Moskovsky Komsomolets, citing Russian security sources, said the Arctic Sea was smuggling arms and that the hijackers were stooges hired by the intelligence service of an EU member state to intercept it. Suspected hijacker, Russian Dmitry Bartenev’s brother said he believed that the hijacking suspects had been caught up in “political games.”

“I think they were framed, and it is not just my opinion, everybody who knows them also thinks so,” Alexei Bartenev. “They were seeking a job and got involved in a political conflict, were made hostages of a political game.” He did not elaborate.
Sweden, Malta and Finland have been called upon by Russia to help answer questions in the investigation into the hijacking and disappearance this summer of the "Arctic Sea" freighter. "But what else it is actually transporting. It has yet to be clarified," Nikolai Makarov, chief of Russia's general staff, told reporters during an official visit to Mongolia.

"We want to make sure that there is nothing but timber on board this ship. The motive for the seizure is simply not very clear," said Makarov.

Authorities in Finland, which the Arctic Sea departed from on July 23, have said it was not carrying any radioactive cargo.

Arctic Sea: Love that Chendin 2/dul/dhool

The Foreign Ministry said that, when the ship was intercepted, its captain claimed it was the North Korean vessel Chendin-2, and was headed from Havana to Sierra Leone with a cargo of palm wood.

It said North Korea had asserted that was impossible, saying the Chendin-2 was docked at an Angolan port at the time. The Russian navy's search of the ship ''confirmed the suggestion that it was really the Arctic Sea."

1. How did the Arctic Sea's captain know about the Chendin-2. Can you find it?
2. The Russians needed to ask the North Koreans? What about binoculars. The Maltese-flagged ship says 'Arctic Sea' on the bow and stern, Or does it?
3. Why the Foreign Ministry and not the Investigative Committee in charge of the hijackers?

Crew in custody for protection as witnesses

The Finnish National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has not received any information on why the crew was also being held, and if they were suspected of wrongdoing.
Russian prosecutors said 24 August that the crew had been placed in custody, because they needed protection as witnesses. The Federal Penitentiary Service (FPS) of Russia has denied a mass media report that crew members of the Arctic Sea dry cargo ship, on being freed from the pirates’ detention, are held in the Lefortovo investigation ward in Moscow, the FPS spokesman said investigation FPS ward-2, just as any other investigation ward in Russia, holds persons only on court ruling.

The Federal Penitentiary Service did not specify the whereabouts of 11 crewmembers of the Arctic Sea taken to Moscow.

Mikhail Voitenko, editor of Russia's Sovfracht has said: "The only sensible answer is that the vessel was loaded secretly with something we don't know anything about."

Arctic Sea: curiouser and curiouser

A column published in Novaya Gazeta by Julia Latynina (sometime Washington Post contributor) questions the likelihood that pirates would attack in such a high-traffic area. She also found discrepancies in reports provided by the Arctic Sea crew indicating that the pirates spoke in "broken English," when, according to Latynina, the crew members themselves are not English speakers.


В качестве причин известного обращения Медведева президенту Украины назывались ситуация с Зурабовым и высылка двух российских дипломатов за ведение подрывной антиукраинской деятельности. Действительно, эти события вызвали истерику у Путина, приказавшего Медведеву отреагировать, которая совпала с коммерческими интересами политтехнологов Павловского, осваивающими бюджет избирательной кампании Януковича. Все это сыграло свою роль, но главный повод для скандала дало другое событие - захват неизвестными финского судна Arctic Sea с российским экипажем.

Судно Arctic Sea прошло ремонт в Калининграде. Там на него, как предполагается, были загружены ящики с контрабандой. В ящиках могли находиться четыре стратегические крылатые ракеты Х-55 (без головных частей) и устройства, позволяющие закрепить их и обеспечивать воздушный запуск с боевых самолетов советского производства типа Су-.24 при условии их переоборудования в качестве носителей одной крылатой ракеты.

Предполагалось, что Arctic Sea, зайдя после ремонта в Финляндию, загрузит на борт груз леса в качестве легенды прикрытия, проследует в Алжир, где ящики с военной контрабандой будут переданы представителям Корпуса стражей исламской революции, которые по своим каналам доставят их в Иран.

Ранее из России в Иран аналогичным способом уже были доставлены головные части для Х-55, приспособленные для размещения в них биохимического оружия советского производства. Само биохимическое оружие в специальных контейнерах также было доставлено в Иран из России воздушным путем.

Предполагалось, что в близком будущем в Иран прибудут российские специалисты, которые приведут авиационную систему Су-24 - Х-55 в боевое состояние и обучат представителей КСИР обслуживанию и боевому применению такой системы.

Также предполагалось, что в связи с высокой вероятностью израильского авиаудара по ядерным объектам Ирана, Х-55 с биохимическим оружием могли бы быть использованы в иранских ответных действиях против городов Израиля.

Ожидалось, что после применения оружия массового поражения, Израиль и США подвергнут Иран полномасштабным бомбардировкам, а Иран активизирует террористическую деятельность иракских шиитов против войск США и попытается воспрепятствовать танкерному судоходству через Ормузский пролив.
Предполагаемый итог для Ирана: Ахмадинежад под патриотическими лозунгами сможет уничтожить оппозицию своему режиму и сплотить вокруг себя нацию.

Предполагаемый итог для Россию: мировая цена на нефть взлетит до 200-300 долларов за баррель, а внимание США будет полностью сконцентрировано на Иране, Ираке и Персидском заливе, и значит, отвлечено от Грузии и Украины. При этом. Ответственность за приобретение Ираном оружия массового поражения и средств его доставки Москва планировала возложить на Украину, используя то обстоятельство, что в 2000-2001 годах из Украины в Китай и Иран при участии спецслужб РФ, в частности, самолетов авиакомпании Виктора Бута, были поставлены по 6 крылатых ракет Х-55. Правда, были поставлены в нерабочем состоянии, пригодные лишь для изучения и копирования, чего, однако, ни Иран, ни Китай, в полной мере сделать не смогли.

Узнав о готовящейся контрабанде на судне Arctic Sea, крупная западная держава, поддерживающая с Украиной отношения стратегического партнерства, организовала перехват судна и груза. Однако, опасаясь вызвать грандиозный международный скандал, способный сорвать «перезагрузку» ее отношений с режимом Путина, эта держава решила действовать неофициально, что и было реализовано.

Весть о перехвате контрабанды вызвала в Москве истерику, в адрес Украины, обвиненной в «сливе» информации, последовали угрозы, в том числе, известное обращение Медведева, который, однако, сам вряд ли полностью был в теме - по столь важным вопросам его в известность не ставят.

В настоящий момент судно Arctic Sea, видимо, продолжает находиться под контролем тех, кто его перехватил. Вопрос о судьбе экипажа, который наверняка знал о наличии на борту контрабанды и наверняка не имел представления о том, что конкретно находится в ящиках, будет решен путем конфиденциальных переговоров между спецслужбами РФ и соответствующей западной державы. Если они сторгуются по политическим моментам, освобождение экипажа будет выглядеть как выкуп его у мифических пиратов.