| Russia is launching an investigation into the | | | | for foreign help. There are also questions as |
| Navy's response to the stranding of a | | | | to how and why it happened a second time. |
| mini-sub at the bottom of the Pacific that | | | | This month marks the five-year anniversary of |
| was rescued Sunday with British help. The | | | | the sinking of the nuclear submarine Kursk |
| memory of the Kursk nuclear submarine | | | | with 118 hands on board. |
| accident five years ago, in which 118 people | | | | |
| died is still fresh, and the government is | | | | Leading independent military analyst Pavel |
| drawing criticism for its handling of the | | | | Felgenhauer tells VOA that, unlike in the |
| rescue. | | | | Kursk tragedy, Russian officials this time |
| | | | called for outside help in time. But still, |
| Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov Monday | | | | he says the main lesson of the Kursk has yet |
| visited the seven people who were rescued | | | | to be learned, and that, he says, is that |
| from the mini-sub Sunday, after three days | | | | Russia must have an adequate search and |
| stranded on the ocean floor off Russia's | | | | rescue service of its own. |
| far-eastern coast, and only hours, officials | | | | |
| say, before they would have run out of | | | | "There was a lot of talk, but nothing really |
| oxygen. | | | | improved operationally," said Mr. |
| | | | Felgenhauer. "Again, right now, there is a |
| Mr. Ivanov commended the sailors for their | | | | lot of talk, but no one can be sure that this |
| bravery, and said the Russian Navy would have | | | | talk will transform into real, adequate |
| all the technical equipment and material it | | | | action." |
| needs in the future. | | | | |
| | | | Until that lesson is learned, Mr. Felgenhauer |
| Later, addressing reporters in the Russian | | | | adds, Russia will be, as he put it, |
| Far East, he said President Vladimir Putin | | | | "hopelessly helpless." He also said he holds |
| had ordered a full-scale investigation of the | | | | out little hope for this latest official |
| incident off the Kamchatka Peninsula. | | | | probe. |
| | | | |
| In comments broadcast on Russian television, | | | | "The problem is, it's going to be a closed |
| Mr. Ivanov says the expert commission will | | | | military investigation," he said. "We will |
| examine thoroughly the actions of fleet | | | | not know what they determine. It will all be |
| forces and defense ministry officials. He | | | | covered with a cloak of secrecy. There will |
| also said that the Russian Navy's | | | | be no parliamentary open inquiries, there |
| second-in-command, Vladimir Masorin, would | | | | will be nothing really published, and, |
| lead the investigation of how the small | | | | basically, I believe, the navy and the |
| submarine came to be trapped under water for | | | | military will do their best to sort of sweep |
| three days. | | | | it all under the carpet." |
| | | | |
| A British underwater rescue vehicle helped | | | | The Russian press was equally critical |
| lift the sub to the surface on Sunday, and | | | | Monday. The Gazeta daily said on its front |
| all seven sailors on board were rushed to the | | | | page that no one had learned the lessons from |
| hospital. There they were placed in cardiac | | | | the Kursk. The newspaper went on to say that, |
| care, due to hypothermia and hypoxia, and are | | | | only when the situation was near critical, |
| expected to remain under close watch for | | | | did the navy's top leadership ask for outside |
| three days. | | | | help. |
| | | | |
| The sailors' close brush with death has many | | | | "It wasn't our victory," wrote another |
| in Russia asking why it was necessary to ask | | | | popular daily, Moskovsky Komsomolets. |