Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock does not rule out that it could be the frigate Baden-Württemberg It will also transit the Taiwan Strait on its next mission in the Pacific. The Green politician said during her visit to New Zealand that the route of the warship and supply ship would not be announced in advance. But she stressed that the „right of peaceful passage” also applies to the road Taiwan Progressing. “The same rules apply there as in all similar maritime areas in which our ships and other vessels sail.” The training mission of the two ships is carried out on this basis.

Frigate Baden-Württemberg and task force provider Frankfurt am Main They will begin a round-the-world journey next Tuesday, during which they will travel through the Panama Canal Pacific And then it also crosses the South China Sea. There was already a similar mission from August 2021 to February 2022. The frigate Bavaria It participated in maneuvers with its allies at the time, but avoided Taiwan.

Chinese threat of invasion

The Taiwan Strait can be crossed from China To be seen as a provocation. The People’s Republic claims the Democratic Republic of Taiwan as its own territory. The central government in Beijing is striving for „reunification” with the island, and has repeatedly threatened to invade it.

Despite Chinese threats, the United States, Great Britain, and France regularly maintain a military presence in the strait between Taiwan and China. Taiwan’s representative in Germany, Jhy-Wey Shieh, recently requested the frigate in an interview with the German News Agency (DPA). Baden-Württemberg You should follow this example. It was „disappointing” that this happened in the previous mission Bavaria He said that was not the case.

Meanwhile, Naval Inspector Jean-Christian Kack called for an order to purchase two more frigates for the Navy and warned of the risks of increased costs. “I think it is absolutely necessary for Germany to make this choice and order these two frigates. I agree with the Minister on this matter, because we must now invest in the fleet of the future so that we can continue to fulfill our tasks of protecting our ships. The Vice Admiral told the German news agency ( DPA: “People can guarantee this in the long run.”

Construction of the first F126 frigate began in December. A total of four new frigates are being financed, and there is an option for two more ships at a similar price. “Any delay or failure to use this option will lead to increased costs when ordering later,” Kak warned.

During the attack on the Crimean Bridge
Russia threatens „devastating retaliation”

May 3, 2024 at 10:08 pm

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The Crimean Bridge near Kerch plays an important role in the logistics of Russian forces in Ukraine. Moscow expects Ukraine to launch an attack on Putin’s majestic palace in the coming days, and threatens the consequences.

Russia warned of a „devastating retaliatory strike” if Ukraine attacks Crimea or the Crimean Bridge with Western support. Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in Moscow at a press conference: “I would like to once again warn Washington, London and Brussels that any aggressive actions against Crimea will not only be doomed to failure, but will also be met with a devastating retaliatory strike.” In the Russian capital.

In recent days, the Ukrainian Armed Forces have been observed using several ATACMS missiles against Crimea. Zakharova said: “According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, all the missiles launched were destroyed.” She expressed doubts that the government in Kiev was planning a major attack before or on May 9. On this day, Russia celebrates the victory of the Soviet Union over Germany in World War II.

Attacks on anti-aircraft systems

The Russian Ministry of Defense announced on Tuesday that it had intercepted six ATACMS missiles over the Crimean Peninsula. However, independent media reported attacks on three military bases on the peninsula. The attacks were aimed at confronting Russian air defense systems.

The independent Internet portal Astra reported that a fire broke out during an attack on an anti-aircraft position near Simferopol. Djankoy Airport, where the helicopter regiment and anti-aircraft defense forces are based, also came under fire. According to Astra, four soldiers were injured in an attack on a military facility in the Chornomorsky region, northwest of the peninsula. The United States had announced that it would also deliver long-range ATACMS missiles to Ukraine as part of the new weapons package. In previous deliveries, its range was limited to 165 km.

The Crimean Bridge near Kerch, opened by Kremlin President Vladimir Putin in 2018, connects southern Russia to the peninsula that was annexed in violation of international law, and constitutes an important supply route for Russian associations in southern Ukraine. At the end of October 2022, an explosion stopped traffic on the bridge for several months. Marine drone and missile attacks later followed. Kiev has repeatedly stressed that it wants to liberate the peninsula.