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Chapter 2508 The Minsk Sets Sail (Second Update, Please Subscribe)

"Imperialists are using the pretext of counterterrorism to invade the Soviet Union's staunchest ally in the Middle East! The Soviet Union will absolutely not stand idly by!"

The article published in Pravda seems to be showing the world one thing—the Soviet Union will not stand idly by while Syria is occupied, and the Soviet Union will intervene!

Almost simultaneously with TASS and Pravda announcing this stance to the world, the Soviet aircraft carrier Minsk had just completed a period of sea training in the Black Sea.

The Minsk was the Soviet Union's first true aircraft carrier, known in the Soviet Union as the Project 1153 aircraft carrier. Unlike the ill-fated Project 1160 large nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, it was a conventionally powered aircraft carrier, but it was quite different from the large aircraft-carrying cruiser Kiev.

Compared to the US-style Project 1160, the scaled-down Project 1153 aircraft carrier fully draws on the hull design of the Kiev-class. Instead of attempting to equip it with heavy carrier-based fighters from the outset, it utilizes the mature MiG-23K and SU-24K, significantly reducing the complexity of its integration. The carrier's armament is reduced to the same AK-630M, SA-N-4, and SA-N-3 as the Kiev-class, avoiding project delays caused by delayed armament delivery. Since a carrier-based fixed-wing early warning aircraft is still not in development, Project 1153 adds four large-size phased-array radars (4m x 5m / 5m x 6m) to enhance the aircraft-carrying cruiser's own air command capabilities.

It was precisely because the Neva Design Bureau adopted a relatively mature system that the Minsk aircraft carrier was officially commissioned six months ago. Unlike the planned MiG-23K, its carrier-based aircraft are the more advanced MiG-29K fighters.

This conventionally powered aircraft carrier, with a standard displacement of 45000 tons, attracted the attention of Western countries even during its construction. After it entered service, it was tracked by American reconnaissance satellites and aircraft on numerous occasions. Today, however, things are different. On the dock, it is being replenished with supplies, striving to bring all its supply compartments and ammunition depots to full capacity. It is loading fresh meat into the freezer, flour and vegetables into the food storage, fuel oil into the oil tanks, and fresh water into the water tanks.

Of course, the most important thing is to load the ammunition depot with all kinds of munitions—air-to-air missiles, air-to-ground missiles, anti-ship missiles...

While the port was bustling with activity, Admiral Kokinachev watched all this from a short distance away, with Marshal Gorshkov standing in front of him. The Marshal had flown in specifically from Moscow.

He gazed at the Minsk as if it were his beloved child, and said:
"Captain, are you aware of the importance of this mission?"

"I know, Comrade Marshal."

As the first captain of the aircraft carrier "Minsk," Kokinachev's job has been extremely challenging since he took office two years ago. He needs to assemble the initial crew.

They supervised and participated in the final construction and outfitting process of the ships at the Nikolayev shipyard. Before and after their commissioning, they also organized and directed complex sea trials to test the ships' power, weaponry, aviation, and electronic systems.

Now, the task he has been given is even more challenging.

"Passing through the Bosphorus Strait, from the Black Sea into the Mediterranean, after cooperating with the fleet to provide internationalist support to Syria in its resistance against imperialist invasion, it will circumnavigate Europe and finally arrive at the Northern Fleet's base—Severomorsk."

This was the order given to him by Moscow. As the ship's captain, Kokinachev was very clear about his mission objectives.

"No, Captain."

Marshal Gorshkov shook his head, then looked at the captain beside him and said.

"This is just the surface-level task; you have a much more important task ahead of you."

"An even more important mission?"

Kokinachev looked at the marshal with some confusion.

"Yes, Captain."

Marshal Gorshkov turned his gaze to the aircraft carrier in the distance and then said:
“We are all very aware of how complicated the construction of the Minsk aircraft carrier was. It was originally supposed to be the second ship of the Kiev-class, but because of the crisis in Ethiopia, the Kremlin finally approved our construction of a real aircraft carrier.”

However, our marshal believed that aircraft carriers were nothing more than coffins at sea. To this day, he still stubbornly believes that aircraft-carrying cruisers are far superior to aircraft carriers.

We had to accommodate his idea and then install long-range anti-ship missiles on the Minsk... but it was still an aircraft carrier after all.

Marshal Gorshkov gazed solemnly at the aircraft carrier he had painstakingly built.

"And this crisis in Syria is precisely the moment for the Minsk to prove its value to Moscow and to Comrade Marshal, so I need you—"

Marshal Gorshkov turned his gaze away from the aircraft carrier and looked at the colonel in front of him, speaking in a serious tone.

"I need you to prove this over there in Syria. Show everyone with concrete actions—they're wrong, the Soviet Union needs aircraft carriers."

The Minsk is the key to proving this. Colonel, can you do it?

In response to the Marshal's instructions, Colonel Kokinachev nodded and then said:

"Yes, Comrade Marshal. I can do it."

Marshal Gorshkov nodded, then turned his gaze back to the aircraft carrier that was being resupplyed and spoke earnestly.

"This is the future of the Soviet Navy!"

Although it was just an aircraft carrier with a displacement of only 45000 tons, at least he saw it; he saw the Soviet Union's own aircraft carrier, a real aircraft carrier.

Now, this aircraft carrier will act like American aircraft carriers, sailing to regions where crises occur to demonstrate America's stance.

Where is our aircraft carrier?

Perhaps the Kremlin will ask the same question in the future. But before that, they must be shown the value of an aircraft carrier.

The following morning, the Minsk aircraft carrier and several warships sailed out of the port amidst cheers from the crowd. Unlike usual, when there was no media coverage, Moscow specially dispatched a satellite broadcast vehicle to broadcast the naval deployment to the world via satellite.

We're setting sail!

Of course, nominally, the departure of the Minsk aircraft carrier is a normal military movement—it will pass through the Bosphorus Strait, enter the Mediterranean Sea from the Black Sea, then circumnavigate Europe, and finally arrive at the Northern Fleet's base in Severomorsk.

Is it really?

Obviously not. Everyone knew that the Soviet Navy would never simply move its aircraft carriers to the Northern Fleet during this sensitive period.

The flimsy excuse they fabricated was merely for the normal passage through the Bosphorus Strait—although according to the treaty, Soviet warships have the right to pass through the strait without restriction during peacetime, who knows if Turkey, as a NATO member, would find some excuse to prevent the fleet from passing if they loudly proclaimed that this was to flex their muscles in the Mediterranean?
Therefore, the Soviet Union offered an extremely lame excuse.

However, with this pretext, Türkiye cannot prevent the Minsk aircraft carrier and its auxiliary warships from passing through the strait.

Thus, on the third day after the outbreak of the war on terror, a fleet of 16 Soviet warships and supply ships, led by the aircraft carrier Minsk, sailed out of Crimea.

Heading towards the Bosphorus Strait.

After the fleet entered international waters, it was tracked by the U.S. Air Force and U.S. ships, which was quite normal during the Cold War.

Both sides maintained a certain distance, giving each other the opportunity to take photos.

This is how it usually is for both sides.

However, today seemed different from usual. While American pilots were trying to approach the aircraft carrier in F4 fighter jets, two MiG-29K fighter jets on the Soviet aircraft carrier deck were already in the catapult position.

"Captain, should we release the fighter jets?"

Colonel Kokinachev nodded and said.

"It can be released."

With a command given, the two MiG-29 fighter jets accelerated rapidly under the propulsion of the steam catapults and then took off directly into the sky.

Colonel Kokinachev smiled as he watched the MiG-29 take off.

For years, like all Soviet naval officers, he had looked forward to this moment, to seeing his carrier-based aircraft take to the skies and drive Western reconnaissance planes far away.

"MiG-29!"

The American pilot flying the F-4 fighter jet watched in astonishment as the Soviet fighter jet flew towards him.

"They are flying towards us."

"Yes, not just two, they are also launching fighter jets."

Six.

In the next few minutes, the Minsk aircraft carrier launched six MiG-29 fighter jets in succession.

When these pivots appeared near the F-4 fighter jet and were used to warn it, the American pilots, looking at the air-to-air missiles under its wings, suddenly realized something.

From now on, the rules of the sea have changed, and they can no longer get as close as they used to to take passport photos of Soviet warships.

In this way, the American aircraft were constantly driven outwards and were soon forced back to a distance of more than 100 kilometers.

Upon learning that the US fighter jets had been dispersed, cheers erupted throughout the bridge of the Minsk aircraft carrier.

This was the first time they had driven the Americans away so easily and decisively.

Colonel Kokinachev was also somewhat excited. After thinking for a moment, he said:

"Telegram to Moscow—The aircraft carrier-based cruiser Minsk has driven away the US fighter jets that were tracking our ship, and our ship is currently heading towards the Bosphorus Strait."

That's right, this aircraft carrier with two steam catapults was still referred to as an aircraft-carrying cruiser in the Soviet combat system, not an aircraft carrier.

And so, under the watchful eyes of the world, the fleet continued toward Turkey.

(End of this chapter)