Cruiser Petr Veliky returned to homebase

13.09.2010 Northern Fleet (NF) heavy nuclear-powered missile cruiser Petr Veliky returned to NF main base Severomorsk on Sunday, Sept 12. The triumphant meeting ceremony was attended by NF Commander Vice Admiral Nikolai Maksimov, representatives of Murmansk regional administration and Severomorsk city council, the ship's patrons, and the crew's relatives.

Long-range cruise of Petr Veliky has been carried out under the flag of Capt 1 rank Sergei Dzhuga, executive officer of NF missile ships' force. The cruiser's crew led by Capt 1 rank Felix Menkov has spent almost half a year (166 days) far away from the homebase covered about 28,000 nautical miles.

The cruise started on March 30. Among major objectives given to the cruiser's crew is maintaining naval presence in strategic areas of the World Ocean to protect Russia's national interests; counter-terror and anti-piracy; familiarization with en-route regions to define possibility of use various types of weapons and technical facilities; improvement of crew's integration and naval skills.

The cruiser's personnel practiced training missions in north and south latitudes of the World Ocean. Having sailed off Severomorsk, Petr Veliky doubled Europe via the Norwegian and the North seas, the English Channel, and entered the Mediterranean Sea to call at Syrian port Tartus (Apr 13-14). Afterwards, the NF flagship met with Black Sea Fleet (BSF) missile cruiser Moskva and both ships sailed through the Suez Canal, the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden and reached the Indian Ocean to conduct joint exercise.

On May 25 cruiser Petr Veliky arrived to Vladivostok and started preparing to large-scale strategic exercise Vostok-2010 which was held in the Sea of Japan in June 26 - July 8. Russian president Dmitry Medvedev observed the maneuvers from the cruiser. The president highly appreciated naval skills and military bearing of the ship's crew. Also, on board Petr Veliky Medvedev invested state awards to Pacific Fleet marines who released tanker Moscow University from pirates.

On her homeward cruise, the ship called at Indian port Mormugao (Aug 6-11) and French port Brest (Sept 2-6). The crew conducted PASSEX joint maneuvers with Indian and French colleagues.

After detailed analysis of the cruise, the most distinguished servicemen will be encouraged. NF command is about to request to award best representatives of Petr Veliky's crew.