Russia transferred the "Berdyansk" and "Nikopol" - small artillery boats of the Ukrainian Navy, captured in the Kerch Strait, as well as the "Yana Kapu" tugboat. But they removed all the electronics. Meanwhile, two boats of the Island type arrived in Odesa from the USA: P190 "Sloviansk" and P191 "Starobelsk". There are currently two "Gurza" combat boats in Ukraine: "Lubny" and "Kremenchuk". Their main task is to protect the passage of ships into the Sea of Azov, to prevent the attacks of Russian military boats. Lieutenant Alexander Regula was a cadet in Sevastopol six years ago; he is one of those who sang the Ukrainian hymn at the Nakhimov school when the occupying authorities raised the Russian flag instead of the Ukrainian one. He is now the captain of the "Kremenchuk' boat. In 2018, Regula, together with a team of four, helped the "Donbas" and "Koretz" vessels to pass from Odesa to the Azov Sea. While Ukraine is expanding it's fleet, "Kremenchuk" and "Lubny" boats continue to patrol the Azov Sea and deter the Russians. Me and TheBabel's correspondent Yevgeny Spirin visited the "Kremenchuk" boat and talked with its captain Alexander Regula about US military assistance, maritime clashes and how sailors live on a combat boat.
On the territory of Mariupol port, a bunch of people, cranes, concrete mixing machines work. Two boats are moored at the pier: "Kremenchuk" and "Lubny". The crew receives products for the next sail. In bags potatoes, yoghurts, vegetables, fruits, salt and fresh fish, water. Captain Regula walks on the boat.
- They say you wanted to get on the boat to us. I see you succeeded. We, in fact, have the following rules. Nothing to photograph, nothing to ask, everything we do is a secret. You can photograph the flag if you wish. Everything else is military secrecy.
While the sailors carry packages of food, Regula offers coffee and a chat. He closes a heavy door and says:
- Well, ask, but only what is not a secret, because here almost everything is secrecy.
A phone begins to ring on a table, it's yelling "The best day came yesterday". We start the conversation. Alexander says there are five people on the boat.
- We work on a regular schedule, monitoring the condition of the boat and its standby for the tasks. I am the youngest here - 24 years old, and the oldest is 37. Most of the time we sailing to ensure passage of ships and that there are no violations by the Russians at sea. After we arrived here in September, the situation got better. Before that the Russians detained ships. A couple of hours delay for the ship is an economic disaster, a company is overpaying.
Russian navies use economic levers. They detain a ship near the Kerch Strait and inspect it for which they are not entitled.
- There are five reasons in international maritime law for stopping a ship. Under any of these reasons, their inspections do not fall. Russians simply stopped the vessels and threatened them. And then we started patrolling. They started to afraid of us. We intercepted their chats, and it was like "Control the bastards, these bastards will come out again, we need to search them again." We started to prevent their actions. There was no shooting, but the arrogance decreased. In October, the cases of ship stoppage by the Russians decreased by 50%, in November they were not at all. Yes, they act very arrogantly. Like muggers - they mobbing. But their actions must be answered. They do not shoot at the ships, but stop and say, "When you go back, you will have problems." They stop mostly those who go to Berdyansk or Mariupol (Ukraine controlled ports in Azov). Those who go in the direction of Taganrog, or Rostov (Russia), they do not touch. And if there are crew members from Ukraine, then they inspect in any case.
According to Alexander, the Russians use aviation: planes, helicopters. "But very occasionally".
- When we show our teeth, we tell them: “Ours can fly, too.”
There is no ship's cook on a full-time. Regula says that sometimes he cooks himself.
- Our food allowance - what we wanted is what we prepared. In a break, we sat down and "Ok, what for lunch?" We got all together and prepared a solyanka or borsch. Or someone who is on duty, asks what to cook for a breakfast. Now we have a new menu system. For example, one and a half litres of water per day is required. In general, a certain amount of money is allocated for each person. We focused on vegetables, fruits, and fish.
Regula continues the story and tells us about US Navy assistance.
- We have US Caterpillar engines now. But there are also many Ukrainian developments. The United States is very helpful to us, for example, boats that recently arrived at Odesa. We had a problem: the Russians seized our ships in the Crimea. Lucky that "Sahaidachny" was not there, so it's escaped. But now we are growing in strength. Russia is promoting its army and navy, they say, they are doing well. But in reality, they are accustomed that they are more in number. But when we already have equipment and weapons, they raise their paws and say, "Oops, sorry!"
The commander said that the most important assistance - is the training of military seafarers. Three ship crews have now returned from Baltimore, where they have been trained by US Navy instructors. Their boat goes out on a call, permanently on duty at the port, if necessary, the crew is ready for quick access to the sea. Regula believes that these are the achievements of a new American system.
- The Soviet system was "take care of equipment, we have more people to bring." Now, on the contrary, the most important thing is people. By 2014, we had a bandage to wrap our heads around. And now we are being prepared so that people must survive "at any cost". Experience is a weapon that defines a great deal, especially at sea. Previously, it was like: you are training for a month and then practising on a ship. Everything is different now. There is officer training for ukrainians in the United States, it means if a cadet wants to go there, he can graduate in American courses. Also, the United States is assisting with weapons, they conveyed six combat boats. This is a fair amount of force. Ships are being built, weapons are being equipped. We create a fleet.
A sailor who gets out of the hold interrupts the conversation:
- All products loaded. Fair enough for a five days raid.
Regula doesn't need to call Kyiv or coordinate with the General Staff and Command to make a decision to use weapons or not. As a commander, he can decide by himself.
The last case when we almost reached the shooting happened last year.
- We prevented the detention of four ships, one of them was Libyan. There was a situation when the Russians tried to stop them. I intervened and said that the ships were under my protection. They tried to get closer, I said that I would use weapons - they were scared. Briefly, they said to the captain of the Lybian ship: "Stop," and I said: "Follow your plan." The captain could not understand what is going on and asked: "So who is the authority here?" I honestly answered: "We are the authorities here. Complete your task." We brought them to the strait.
The boat "Kremenchuk" paired with "Lubny" reduced the pressure on merchant ships, but losses for the Ukrainian economy are still large. According to the Ukrainian Navy commander admiral Igor Voronchenko, the Azov ports of Ukraine have lost almost half of the income since the Russians impede shipping.
- Previously, the entire port was full of ships. Also in Berdyansk. And now everyone is heading towards Taganrog. More than 40 ships pass by Mariupol per day. But Russia doesn't stop American ships - of course, it’s dangerous! Because in that case, America would reposition some warship here.
Regula believes that the Russian Federation Navy in poor condition:
- Russia advertises itself very much, but they are not doing so well. Of course, there are arrogant bold faces, but when you start to answer with their methods, they are getting frightened. They take in quantity and can only threaten with nuclear weapons. They are taking well-made old stuff, and say that this is their new developments. Yes, they can block ports completely, because Russia is a Gopnik country, it can attack with a crowd, and if you hook a ship toe to toe, they quickly run away.
After the conversation we go ashore, "Donbas" is standing nearby. I ask if it goes into a raid.
- And it is almost... afloat since the 1960s. But, maybe it will drive out if necessary.
Regula lights a cigarette and looks at the small boat:
- Everything is backasswards! There, on land - the separation of forces, - here, in the opposite, we have "squeezing". However, in the sea, you must fight according to conventions. You can’t just bury someone in a forest belt, you’ll have to explain. It's offensive.
text by Eugene Spirin (translated SM)