International Women's Day meeting was held in Baltic Fleet

09.03.2011 Baltic Fleet Commander congratulated servicewomen and civil personnel on International Women's Day – March 8 during the solemn meeting in Kaliningrad. All of them make considerable contribution to strengthening of the fleet's combat readiness. Women worthily execute service duties almost in all military units of naval aviation, coastal defense troops, and ship formations.

Today's Baltic Fleet have about 40 women officers, over 400 servicewomen in warrant officer posts, more than 700 contractual servicewomen, and about 17,000 civil personnel.

BF Commander issued a decree awarding 20 women with valuable gifts, over 180 – with letters of award, and about 190 – with commendations for excellent performance of service duties.

Women veterans of the Great Patriotic War achieved a particular honor. Being members of veteran organizations, they actively promote patriotism among young generation. The audience stood up to salute women veterans of WW2.

Results of "Baltic Fleet Beauty Contest" were drawn during the meeting; winners were also awarded. First in the Navy, the contest was conducted by means of Internet voting.

BF Information Support Group along with online portal of media holding Western Press held the photo contest among servicewomen and civil personnel of Baltic Fleet since early Feb till March 3; the contest was associated with International Women's Day.

Best representatives of Leningrad and Baltiysk naval bases, and other BF units took part in the contest. Visitors of the portal had an opportunity to watch photos of women participated in the contest and vote by a 5-point system.

According to the portal's editor Andrei Vypolznev, 3 500 persons visited the contest web-page in the first day; during the whole period of "Baltic Fleet Beauty Contest" there were 33 490 visitors.

"We conduct various online photo contests regularly, but "Baltic Fleet Beauty" has cracked an attendance record of the contest webpage and, in particular, record of online voting", said the portal's editor. "Obviously, ladies in uniform are still the object of keen interest in society", he concluded.

According to results of online voting, the first place was taken by warrant officer Alexandra Kuznetsova from Leningrad Naval Base, the second one – by civil employee Irina Kosenko from Baltiysk Naval Base, and the third one – by junior sergeant Yekaterina Yevstafieva from BF Naval Aviation.

Considering the fact that online voting was not available for some part of servicemen, the fleet's command determined another three winners by polling. Warrant officer Viktoria Zapliusvichka (BF Naval Aviation), civil employee Svetlana Girilovich (Baltiysk Naval Base), and petty officer Natalia Smirnova (Leningrad Naval Base) were awarded by special BF Commander's prizes.