Reports: Russia sinks Georgian ship trying to attack Russian navy ships

[Purveyor]

Russian news agencies say the Defense Ministry claims to have sunk a Georgian missile boat that was trying to attack Russian navy ships in the Black Sea.

The Defense Ministry refused to comment on the Sunday reports to The Associated Press and Georgian officials could not immediately be reached.

If confirmed, the incident could mark a serious escalation of the fighting that has raged between Russia and Georgia over the separatist Georgian province of South Ossetia.

The ITAR-Tass news agency quoted a ministry spokesman as saying that Georgian missile patrol boats twice tried to attack Russian ships, which fired back and sank one of the Georgian vessels.

AP: http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1218104258690&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

[Taverner]

1. Wow...getting serious

We have to stay out of this one

[Purveyor]

2. "We have to stay out of this one"... Militarily, we have little choice as our ass is strapped with

Iraq/Afghanistan. I can only imagine how impotent our military command feels as these events evolve and they have few options to offer.

[magellan]

3. Not completely

on edit: Sorry, just realized this is a month old.


We're partaking in a big honkin military exercise right in the conflict area, with one of the participants and some interested parties:

http://www.voanews.com/english/2008-07-14-voa59.cfm

US, Ukrainian Troops Launch Maneuvers Near Russian Border
By VOA News
14 July 2008

Ukrainian troops have joined their U.S. counterparts in NATO military exercises as tensions mount over the aspirations of former Soviet republics to enter the alliance.

The two-week NATO "Sea Breeze" exercises along the Black Sea coast also include forces from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and key countries of western Europe. Turkey, Macedonia and Latvia are also participating. The exercises include naval and air maneuvers as well as large-scale armored exercises.

Separate maneuvers are being held this week in Georgia. Armenian, Azerbaijani, Ukrainian and U.S. troops are participating.

....