Russian warships to keep on patrolling the Gulf of Aden – Medvedev

26.11.2010 Russian warships will continue to patrol the Gulf of Aden, said Russian president Dmitry Medvedev.

"I'd like to thank you and all your colleagues for excellent service in the Gulf of Aden and near the Horn of Africa. Indeed, that zone has really become a combat area. And that tiny threat which was posed by piracy 20 years ago has turned into a menace to world security now", said the president during the meeting with top-level military commanders.

According to Medvedev, Russian servicemen worthily and professionally execute their duties while protecting Russian and foreign commercial vessels, sometimes at the risk of their lives.

"I should say that we will continue to fulfill our international commitments in this region by two reasons. First, we have to protect our civil vessels and foreign-flagged ships. Second, it helps to maintain necessary qualification level of our sailors after all", Medvedev said.

The president emphasized that the number of combat and training cruises performed by Russian warships had been significantly increased.

"This is very important. Generally, we should make maximum use of all those opportunities – cruises, sorties, tactical and strategic exercises – to maintain combat readiness of Russian Armed Forces and professional skills of our servicemen", commented the president.

"Obviously, it is very expensive to schlep a train of auxiliary vessels behind warships all across the World Ocean. The expenses are really enormous and often very ineffective", said Medvedev.

He pointed out that some foreign partners "are in far better conditions because they have sticked naval bases all around the world".

"This issue needs careful state participation", said Medvedev.