Russia to expand naval presence in the Mediterranean Sea

Friday, Oct 17, 2008

A squadron comprising the nuclear-powered battle cruiser Peter the Great, the anti-submarine warfare (ASW) ship Admiral Chabanenko and two supply ships from the Russian Navy's Northern Fleet recently entered the Mediterranean Sea.

The squadron was joined there by the Russian Baltic Fleet's escort ship Neustrashimy (Intrepid) and a Black Sea Fleet tanker Ivan Bubnov.

For the first time since the break-up of the Soviet Union, Russia has reinstated a scaled-down version of the famous Fifth Squadron comprising warships from the three ""western"" fleets"" that had sailed the Mediterranean in the U.S.S.R.'s heyday.

After exercising in the region, the Northern Fleet squadron will sail to Venezuela. The Neustrashimy will go to Somalia; and the empty Black Sea Fleet tanker will return to her home base in Sevastopol.

For over 200 years, the Mediterranean Sea has played an important part in Russian history. During the Russo-Turkish War of 1768-1774, Admiral Grigory Spiridov (1713-1790) commanded a naval squadron that defeated the Turkish fleet during the battles of Chios Strait and Cesma Bay in July 1770.

Source: RIA Novosti