The next time Putin sends his Tu-95 bombers into British airspace and over the British countryside wilderness, they should shoot it down. Putin will have to explain to his people just why were they flying over Britain in a bomber aircraft.
Wednesday, October 5, 2005 Posted: 1322 GMT (2122 HKT)
LONDON, England -- Russian President Vladimir Putin has honored five British rescuers who saved the crew of a Russian mini submarine trapped on the Pacific Ocean floor.
In an award ceremony at British Prime Minister Tony Blair's residence at 10 Downing Street, Putin's presentation included the first Russian medals to be given to non-Russian military staff.
Commander Ian Riches and a team of Royal Navy contractors flew to Russia's Kamchatka peninsula in August with a Scorpio underwater robot and freed a Russian AS-28 mini-submarine trapped 190 meters under the Pacific Ocean.
The Royal Navy were called as Russia did not have suitable equipment for the rescue.
The highly exclusive Order for Maritime Services was awarded to Commander Riches, together with Stuart Gold and Peter Nuttall from contractors James Fisher Rumic, who operated the Scorpio remote-controlled rescue vehicle.
Squadron Leader Keith Hewitt -- the captain of the RAF C17 transport aircraft which flew the Scorpio from Scotland to Russia's Pacific coast --and Captain Jonathan Holloway, the British naval attache in Moscow, received the Order of Friendship.
At the ceremony in No 10's Pillared Room, Putin said he was "honored" to present the medals.
"I would like to thank you for the work done, for the mission accomplished and rescue of the Russian seamen.
"The work was done quickly, at a good professional level and most importantly it succeeded."
Putin added: "In this regard, I can't help mentioning that this year we jointly marked the 60th anniversary of VE Day -- victory over Nazis.
"We in Russia remember vividly remarkable examples of outstanding heroism demonstrated by the British seamen in the operation of the so-called Northern Convoy.
"I am very pleased to note that even today you have made your contribution in substantially increasing, up-leveling, deepening and broadening our cooperation."
Putin concluded: "In reality you have continued the tradition which has been traditional in the relationship between our two countries for many, many years."
The seven-man crew of the AS28 had just four to six hours of oxygen left when their vessel was dramatically freed by the Scorpio after three days on the ocean floor.
Wednesday's award ceremony came at the end of the EU-Russia summit in London.
Prime Minister Tony Blair also hailed the rescue team. He told Putin: "I know that those who were engaged in the rescue are deeply honored by the way that you are honoring them today."
Blair said the medal presentation was a further indication of the level of cooperation between Britain and Russia.
dcv- I know revenge for MH17 would be satisfying though, this I understand.
putin is determined to provoke some reaction with his increased incursions into u.k airspace .The RAF should instead let his Russian bombers fly over Scotland ,Northumberland ,Yorkshire then ask/force them to land -this would indeed be an interesting "diplomatic" incident that putin would have to explain
When Gandhi stood and took a beating from the Brits, after awhile they began to feel guilt. Gandhi tried it with his own people and was murdered. Different methods for different people. Putin fears no words nor fears to spew bull.
ghandi was not in guantanamo bay type conditions and putin has his own prison like guantanamo in siberia, these are for special prisoners that dare to disagree or set up political party to challenge putin
You rather missed the point bondel. However I'll try again with your digression from the point. While many decried panties being put the head of detainees as severe abuse, the head of Daniel Pearl was removed with a dull knife. Do you like apples or oranges?
You're presuming that the UK has an air force left to intercept them with:
Ah yes, UK's airborne early warning Nimrod MRA4 ... 8 billion pounds spent developing it, then 250 million pounds per aircraft to scrap them before it even entered service ... and then UK sub-contracts it's airborne early warning to the Yanks.
What a great idea it was to retire (early) the Harrier and Sea Harrier aircraft (that won the Falklands war for the UK), when Gaddafi was strutting his stuff the French, the Yanks etc. had their aircraft carriers off the Libyan coast launching their fighter/bombers, UK had/has an aircraft carrier but no fighter/bombers to launch off it ... UK found itself launching it's first bombing missions from UK soil since WWII.
Cash-strapped truck driver is battling Ukrainian internet bride in divorce courts for his 'fair share' of her wealth after she came to Britain to marry him and made a fortune
Marina Ivleva, 49, left Ukraine to marry John Yates from Leicester in 1999
She became a senior university worker and amassed £300,000,
Mrs Ivleva says she divorced him in Ukraine but UK courts won't accept it
judging by the picture it looks as though being married for a short period of time to that ukraine woman has aged the poor chap 30 years, seems he is yet another mug ripped of by a ukraine woman
The United States is seeking to draw Moldova into the anti-Russian alliance by imposing a major non-NATO ally status on it, Moldova’s Party of Socialists said in a statement on Friday.
Ukrainian woman in national dress dances during the opening ceremony of the Rapid Trident military exercises in Ukraine
Ukrainian premier hopes for NATO real support in military reform
The statement condemned Chisinau’s tacit reaction to this decision of the US Senate.
Russia could accidentally down a plane over Britain
Michael Fallon warned that Vladimir Putin was playing a ‘provocative and dangerous’ game by ordering Russian Bear bombers to fly over British waters.
The same Russian bombers are being sent into Sweden and Norway too, as the Russian currency goes into freefall and the economy we can expect Putin to try something even more provocative.