【Text by Observers Network, Mountain Cat】

The Japanese Ministry of Defense's Joint Staff Office (Joint Staff, hereinafter referred to as "JSO") announced on September 24 that the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force detected a Russian naval formation sailing westward at around 5:00 AM (Beijing Time 4:00 AM) on the same day in the Sea of Okhotsk about 40 kilometers northeast of Cape Soya, Hokkaido. The formation consisted of three vessels: the 1164-class (Slava-class) missile cruiser "Varyag" with the hull number 011, one 955-class (Borei-class) strategic nuclear ballistic missile submarine, and the R-5757-class (NATO designation "Baklazan-class") long-range rescue tug "Foty Krylov". Subsequently, the three ships continued to sail westward through the Soya Strait.

From top to bottom: "Varyag" cruiser, 955-class strategic nuclear ballistic missile submarine, and "Foty Krylov" long-range rescue tug Japan Ministry of Defense Joint Staff Office

Schematic diagram of the location of the Russian naval vessels observed this time Japan Ministry of Defense Joint Staff Office

This is the first time the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force has confirmed observing a Borei-class nuclear submarine. Currently, the Russian Pacific Fleet has five strategic nuclear submarines, all assigned to the 25th Red Banner Submarine Division stationed in Vil'chinsk. Among them, the K-550 "Aleksandr Nevsky" and K-551 "Vladimir Monomakh" are basic-type 955-class, while the other three K-552 "Knyaz Oleg", K-553 "Suvorov", and K-554 "Tsar Aleksandr III" are improved 955A-class. Based on the hull and sail characteristics, the one confirmed by Japan this time belongs to one of the two basic-type 955-class submarines of the Pacific Fleet.

The image above is a schematic diagram of the appearance comparison of 955/955A submarines made by the open-source intelligence account H I SUTTON. According to the shape of the sail, the submarine found in the Soya Strait this time is the basic-type 955-class submarine Social media

On the 7th of this month, the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force had previously confirmed that the "Varyag" passed eastward through the Soya Strait into the Sea of Okhotsk from the Sea of Japan, following the 20380-class missile frigate "Gromkiy" (hull number 335) which had passed through the Soya Strait at night on the 6th.

The "Foty Krylov" is the second ship of the R-5757-class long-range rescue tug, designated SB-135. It was ordered by the Soviet Union from the Holm Shipyard in Finland, and a total of two were built, both completed and delivered in 1989. Its sister ship SB-131 "Nikolai Chikil" participated in towing the unfinished "Varyag" aircraft carrier through the Bosporus Strait in November 2001.

In November 2001, the unfinished "Varyag" aircraft carrier was towed through the Bosporus Strait, and the fourth ship from the right in the picture is the Russian Navy's R-5757-class long-range rescue tug SB-131 "Nikolai Chikil" Social media

Additionally, the JSO website also released a notice on the movement of Chinese naval vessels on the 24th. The notice stated that shortly before the evening of September 22 (Beijing Time 6:00 PM), a Chinese naval vessel formation composed of two 052D-class guided-missile destroyers, 123 Huainan and 124 Kaifeng, as well as one 903A-class general supply ship, 902 Dongpinghu, was confirmed about 50 kilometers west of the island of Rishiru in Hokkaido, and during the night of the 22nd to the early morning of the 23rd, it sailed eastward through the Soya Strait into the Sea of Okhotsk.

From top to bottom: Huainan, Kaifeng, and Dongpinghu as captured by the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force Japan Ministry of Defense Joint Staff Office

The Chinese naval vessel formation consisting of the Huainan, Kaifeng, and Dongpinghu passed through the Tsushima Strait between the 16th and 17th of this month to enter the Sea of Japan, and recently also passed through the Soya Strait into the Sea of Okhotsk Japan Ministry of Defense Joint Staff Office

This naval formation, composed of vessels from the Northern Theater Command's destroyer brigade and combat support ship brigade, had previously entered the Sea of Japan through the Tsushima Strait between the 16th and 17th of this month, and then spent approximately six days conducting activities in the Sea of Japan.

This article is an exclusive article by Observer Network. Without permission, it cannot be reprinted.

Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7553777187145433619/

Statement: This article represents the views of the author. Please express your opinion by clicking the [Like/Dislike] buttons below.