Operation Hugo Grotius

Operation Hugo Grotius
Map of the alleged blockade by Los Liberados.
Date 1675 AN Location North Raynor Sea, Dyre Straits Status Active
Belligerents
USSO  Jingdao  Ralgon  Alduria	Los Liberados Batavian Confederation	International Observers Raspur Pact  Florian Republic
Units involved
		Trans-Euran Command Black Banner Northern Fleet Gold Banner Western Fleet
Strength
30 vessels	3 Frigates 15 Corvettes 9 Submarines	10 Northman-class Corvettes 5 Klimatariá-class Missile Corvettes 4 Logistic Support Vessels 1 Oil Tanker

Operation Hugo Grotius was a naval operation executed by the USSO and Alduria to test and possibly lift a naval blockade, claimed to be enforced by Los Liberados in 1675 AN. The naval blockade was said to be between the city of Togafaga in Florian Eura and the city of Augusto in Los Liberados.

A military and merchant fleet from Alrig, Alduria, and Jingdao composed of 30 ships sailed through the alleged blockade and found no patrol ships nor deployments from Los Liberados in their path. The convoy passed through the blockade undisturbed.

The same day the operation was launched, government officials of Los Liberados tried to diffuse the situation by clarifying that their blockade was only meant against Bassarid merchant shipping and Union naval fleets which hadn't asked for approval to pass through the Togafaga - Augusto barrier. As the Bassarids were members of the Union, and the USSO wanted to deny the Liberadosians any opportunity to stop either civilian as military shipping in international waters, the operation went on.

The primary concern of the Raspur Pact during this affair was to ensure that commercial shipping was not interfered with by either party whilst in international waters and that the regular SATCo convoys between Arak and Susa along the western Euran coast proceeded with their normal, uneventful, sailings.

Reactions

• Raspur Pact:
  • A clerical error with shipping labels results in a consignment of forty S-2 Standard Missiles, in AShM configuration, being airlifted from the Talenore Arsenal to Puerto Arcadio instead of their intended customers awaiting delivery in Arak. Several supply chain managers employed by subcontractors working for the Allied Production Matrix have been disciplined for the error. The Trans-Euran Command has written a polite note to their counterparts in the Milicia de Hierro asking for the prompt return of the missiles.

• • The Proti Stratia directs the Gold Banner Western Fleet and Black Banner Northern Fleet, with responsibility for patrolling the North Raynor Seas and Dyre Straits respectively, to monitor for unusual maritime and aerial activity in the region and to respond to any reports of Raspur-aligned or neutral (including Aldurian and Florian) vessels in distress.

• The government of Los Liberados issued a press statement outlining that the Operation was based on erroneous intelligence from the USSO side, and that USSO officials had presented a "blatantly untrue" summary of the nature of the Togafaga-Augusto naval defense line. The government also questioned the involvement of Alduria, since the nation was not subjected to the blockade, and all trading vessels to and from the nation had passed unhindered. The Junta de Liberacion Nacional did issue partial mobilisation and stated that it would wait and see what the USSO forces had planned, and that they were ready to answer hostile actions.

• USSO

• Jingdao expressed its concern about the disorder the Raspur Pact has been in since the Kalirion Fracture and wondered if security among its states was lacking in a way that it didn't even notice a shipment of dangerous weaponry to non-member states. Officials reconfirmed that the Union was merely defending the Union's and Aldurian's merchant fleet from potential aggressive actions of Los Liberados and sincerely hoped that the island state would not endanger world peace by keeping - and using / stealing - the missiles it had mistakenly received.

•  Ralgon After fierce internal debate on response to the issue, High Command was instead ordered by the Emperor to issue the following public statement, to the letter: "Generally, we don't care what happens in places that do not concern us. But if Ralgon or allied trading ships flying a flag of peace are attacked while attempting to arrive at other ports of call, we will be more than happy to return the favor. Until then, it seems that Los Liberados and Batavia both can do without our goods until they can sort their own mess out."

Independent Observers:

• Batavia: Prime-minister Joachim Mackay assured the parties involved that Batavia would stand shoulder to shoulder with its allies, and that the Batavian Confederation is a "union of brotherhood that will never be broken". The Batavian government issued a decree mobilising its navy in case of an attack against Los Liberados by USSO forces. Though prepared, Prime-minister Mackay called upon the USSO to take a step back, and to abort the operation. In response to Jingdaoese build-up, the Batavian Navy sent 4 Frigates and 10 Submarines to Los Liberados. In addition, Kasterburg sent two logistics ships.

•  Florian Republic: The Florian Republic announced that the Florian Navy would be joining the maritime observation mission of the Raspur Pact, whilst emphasising that its vessels would remain under national command.