Black Sea Fleet Frigate Ladny Visits French Toulon

16.12.2011 Black Sea Fleet (BSF) frigate Ladny heading for the Mediterranean Sea has called at French Navy's main naval base Toulon before joining Russian Navy carrier group comprising ships of Northern and Baltic fleets.

In Toulon, the Russian warship was visited by Consul General of the Russian Federation in Marseilles and the Principality of Monaco Yury Gribkov, officials of the consulate general and their families.

Crewmen of the host ship – destroyer Jean de Vienne – also visited BSF frigate Ladny. They watched the ship and met with Russian counterparts.

In accordance with the protocol, the cruise commander BSF Antisubmarine Ship Brigade EO Capt 2 rank Pavel Yasnitsky and the ship's commanding officer Capt 2 rank Alexei Kirichok paid a visit to the Toulon naval base commander, French Navy deputy commander for Mediterranean operations, and French Navy's surface fleet commander.

On invitation of the French party, Russian naval mariners paid a return visit to destroyer Jean de Vienne. Later on, Russian and French sailors played a friendly soccer game. In the evening, BSF frigate Ladny was opened for public visits.

The Russian warship will replenish water and fuel supplies in Toulon and on Dec 17 lay a course for the rendezvous point of Russian Navy carrier group in the western part of the Mediterranean.