Russian Navy Brass Doesn't Waste Time

The Russian Pacific Fleet has opened a "criminal" investigation into the circumstances surrounding the trapping and rescue of the AS-28.

"An initial investigation has established violations by officials responsible for preparing and overseeing the AS-28 mini-submarine's mission, said Roman Kolbanov, the Pacific Fleet's deputy military prosecutor.
"Mr Kolbanov said experts from the defence ministry, Federal Security Service and finance ministry would join naval and general staff officials in the wide-ranging investigation, which he said would range from the mini-submarine's construction to the rescue operation itself.
"One of the submariners, Captain Valery Lepetyukha, said the submarine had been sent to investigate an underwater surveillance antenna that had got entangled in fishing nets. He said: "We inspected one side then the other side of the device, that is to say, we were not immediately tangled.Then we found a hanging rope and went around it. While going around it, we apparently were caught by the net. We had no light in the back."

Traditionally, punishments for operational mistakes have been fairly severe in the Russian military; rather than the letter of reprimand senior U.S. officers will normally get, "guilty" Russian officers can expect prison terms -- which is obviously still better than say, sixty years ago.

Staying at PD...