Russian rustbucket bumbling along Channel 'has tow boat on standby in case it breaks down'

[TomSea]

Russian rustbucket bumbling along Channel 'has tow boat on standby in case it breaks down'

THE RUSSIAN aircraft carrier floating through the Channel in a show of Putin's naval might is a Soviet antique plagued by technical problems, it has been revealed.

By Vincent Wood
PUBLISHED: 03:37, Sat, Oct 22, 2016 | UPDATED: 13:02, Sat, Oct 22, 2016

The Admiral Kuznetsov, part of a fleet destined for Syria, was seen belching black smoke off the cost of Dover.

But while it looks daunting, the vast vessel is a relic of the Soviet era – with the port side still bearing it’s communist name – “Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov”.

The ship even has a tow boat running alongside waiting for it to grind to a stuttering halt.

Ex-Royal Navy officer Peter Roberts said: “There’s nothing more depressing for a naval captain when he leaves home waters than to be escorted by a tug because even your commander in chief thinks you are going to break down.”

The ship frequently has to return to port so its steam turbines can be repaired, and its piping system often freezes in colder waters.

Read More At: http://www.express.co.uk/news/world/724000/Channel-russian-war-ship-aircraft-carrier-malfunction-dover-technical-smoke-pipes