The guided missile cruiser “Varyag” in the Chinese port Qingdao, arriving to take part in the joint Sino-Russian naval exercises “Joint Sea 2012” in China. By RIA Novosti
On August 29, Captain 1st Rank Vadim Serga, a spokesman for the Russian Navy Northern Fleet, announced that the Mediterranean task force led by the missile cruiser Marshal Ustinov has held planned anti-sabotage drills.
During the anchorage of the warships, the crews practiced ship damage control, held anti-wreck checks and replenished water and fuel stocks from the tanker Dubna. The drills also included repelling a s simulated terrorists’ attack using fast-speed boats and hitting a small-size naval targets from large-caliber machine guns.
“The personnel on watch for anti-submarine and anti-sabotage defense of the cruiser Marshal Ustinov and the large anti-submarine warfare ship Severomorsk fired grenade launchers to prevent an attack by a group of a notional enemy’s underwater sabotage forces and weapons on the warships and vessels,” Captain 1st Rank Vadim Serga said, according to the Russian news agency TASS.
Last week, the Black Sea Fleet announced that Admiral Grigorovich and Admiral Essen frigates will join the Navy’s Mediterranean task force. Other Russian Navy warships were also spotted en route to the Mediterranean.
According to some experts, the naval build up in the Mediterranean Sea is likely a warning to Washington and its allies, which are reportedly planning to carry out a new strike on facilities of the Damascus government.
