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Russian navies, respectively. They never really got together. There was always an
expressed distance of rank and importance as if from on high to the Ukrainian
commander. This sense of disparity was reflected in the numbers of active vessels based
in Sevastopol. There were only a couple of Ukrainian ships that were manned by the
Ukrainian Navy. All the rest, many of which were, in fact, rusting hulks, were Russians.
Admiral Eduard Baltin, known as the “Black Admiral”, was a very, very interesting,
charismatic character. We had extraordinary talks about many subjects ranging from
strategic issues, arms control, the future of Russia and Ukraine and considerable
discussion about sea faring novels ranging from Moby Dick to Tom Clancy’s Hunt for
Red October. All of this talk was stimulated by an enormous amount of wine and vodka
and cognac, several huge meals. We toured several of his capital ships. He was most
concerned about the issue of whether the new Ukraine would survive? His interest was
political. He asked me very directly, "How do you see Ukraine." I assured just as directly,
"I see it as an independent republic, and I see Crimea part of Ukraine." And he said, "No,
Sevastopol is Russian. It can never be otherwise. It is a part of Russian history. Many of
our heroes are buried here. Most people who live in Sevastopol are Russians. Look at the
battlefield."
I said, "I understand the treaty with the Russians, but I'm here to say that the policy of our
government is that we support the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. This is
part of Ukraine. I fully understand the history of Crimea and I know it is deeply tied to
Russian and Soviet history. But the Soviet Union is dissolved. Russia and Ukraine are
legitimate successor states with separate sovereign territories. Ukraine and Russia share a
common noble history and have every reason to live at peace with each other. But I'm
here to pay my respects to you as commander of the Unified Black Sea Fleet." I said,
"How do you see Ukraine?" He said, "I see Ukraine coming back to Russia. I look on it
like Canada, the way you see Canada."
I said, "Canada is a separate sovereign nation." He said, "No, they're dependent on you."
So we had many discussions along those lines. Near the end of our talks I said, "Would
you come to the United States for a visit and talk to our new naval people perhaps at the
Naval War College at New port near my home in Rhode Island? They'd be very interested
in your experiences as a submarine commander." He said he would like to. He had seen
my country from outside the coastal territorial boundaries. I asked Baltin, “Three miles or
six or twelve miles?” He answered, “just outside the legal boundary.”
Q: Through a periscope.
MILLER: Yes. I saw him a number of times later. As I learned later, Baltin reported to
Moscow that I was a formidable person, probably CIA. He concluded that the Americans
are pursuing a very active policy that has to be countered. Baltin testified in the Russian
Duma on the situation in the Black Sea. My visit to Sevastopol was discussed in the
Duma, in the parliament. I saw him several times thereafter. We went to the same dacha
on the Black Sea on occasion. It was the place where Gorky lived. The main buildings
were constructed in the 19 th century. The main house, beautiful house where Gorky lived
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