New ships will join Black Sea Fleet this year – MP

16.03.2011 Russia's Black Sea Fleet (BSF) will receive several new ships in the current year under the fleet rearmament program, said Mikhail Nenashev, member of Russian parliament, the head of military cooperation subcommittee, and the leader of "Navy Support Movement".

"Black Sea Fleet will obtain several new ships in this year. Those are 2nd rank ships and... possibly, a diesel submarine", said Nenashev during live link-up between Moscow and Kiev held on Tuesday at RIA Novosti studio.

The MP added realization of these plans would depend on situation in shipbuilding industry.

"According to different estimates, in the ensuing years right up to 2020 Black Sea Fleet would be reinforced, to choose my words carefully, with dozens of new ships and submarines", said Nenashev. As for him, re-armament program will also extend to BSF Naval Aviation.

The Black Sea Fleet Re-armament Program will be definitely implemented, emphasized the politician.

"When we speak about Black Sea Fleet, we also mean assets deployed in Russia", he pointed out.

"And what is most interesting to residents of Crimea and Sevastopol is that the housing building construction program will be realized in this year. I'm talking not only of Sevastopol but about housing construction in other Crimean cities. This implies additional work places for Ukraine and for Crimean people, since we're going to cooperate with Ukrainian companies. So, BSF modernization goes beyond military aspects... By rearming our fleet, we give our Ukrainian neighbors the opportunity to develop", concluded Nenashev.

Ukrainian MP Valery Konovaliuk pointed out in his turn that the Big Treaty tied between Ukraine and Russia in 1996 does not provide rearmament of Black Sea Fleet, although Kiev understands the necessity and inevitability of this process.

"I think, it is the subject of discussion between presidents and intergovernmental commissions", said Konovaliuk having added that "politically, it is very important that Ukraine performs a part of works in BSF rearmament".

Russian defense minister Anatoly Serdiukov previously stated that Russia and Ukraine were about to sign new agreement on Black Sea Fleet rearmament.

On Apr 21, 2010 Russian and Ukrainian presidents signed an agreement prolonging presence of Russia's Black Sea Fleet in Crimea on 25 years after 2017 (up to 2042) with possible 5-year extension.