Non-Subscriber Extract
Russian Navy seeks bluewater revival
By Vladimir Petrov
07 December 2007
The Russian Navy has resumed efforts to revive its global maritime presence, Defence Minister Anatoly Serdyukov told President Vladimir Putin at a meeting in the Kremlin on 5 December.
The minister informed Putin that from this date the Russian Ministry of Defence (MoD) would dispatch a Joint Naval Task Force (JNTF) to the northeast Atlantic and Mediterranean Sea. The expedition, which will last until 3 February 2008, is aimed at ensuring a naval presence "in the operationally key areas of the world oceans" and establishing conditions for secure Russian maritime navigation, Serdyukov told the president.
Three tactical exercises, involving combat ships and aircraft as well as missiles fired at naval and coastal targets, are being planned during the mission. The ships will pay 11 port calls to six countries during their 12,000 n mile journey.
Image: Anatoly Serdyukov (Russian MoD)