21.01.2010
Crews of Russian warships dispatched to fight piracy off Somalia are forbidden to enter into negotiations with hijackers, informs RIA Novosti referring to top-ranking Navy's official.
"Function of bargaining with pirates is no longer a duty of Russian mariners. It has been completely excepted", cites the agency. According to the Navy's official, "distinctly different authorities" should be engaged in negotiating with pirates.
Primary task of Russian sailors sent to piracy hazardous regions lies in securing of "civil navigation applying available shipborne arms", underlined the source. All anti-piracy and captive release operations will be carried out only after a crew makes sure "none of hostages would suffer", the official added.
Russia joined counter-piracy naval operation in 2008. Frigate
Neustrashimy was deployed off Somalia; after that one Northern Fleet's and three Pacific Fleet's task units were sequentially dispatched there.
Neustrashimy will take over combat watch on Jan 25, 2010.
Source: , photo: frigate Neustrashimy patrolling coastwise Somalia (by Russian Navy)
