Corvette Makhachkala Put Afloat

28.04.2012 Project 21630 corvette Makhachkala was launched on Apr 27 at JSC Almaz Shipbuilding Firm. It is third and the last Buyan-class corvette built in St. Petersburg for Caspian Flotilla.

The brief meeting was attended by Leningrad Naval Base Commander Capt 1 rank Oleg Zhuravlev, representative of Republic of Dagestan in St. Petersburg Gasan Gasanov, and Director General of JSC Almaz Shipbuilding Firm Leonid Grabovets.

They thanked shipwrights for the new advanced warship joining Russian Navy, and wished success in their hard work.

Gasan A. Gasanov read the welcoming letter from the Dagestan's president to shipwrights and crewmembers who had arrived and took part in the ceremony as well.

According to Leningrad Naval Base Commander, the event was illustrating that the government keeps of its promises to renew the Navy.

Leonid Grabovets said in his speech: "I'm very glad that we are putting Makhachkala afloat. We're going to deliver six ships this year and lay down keels for new ones". The shipyard's director congratulated everyone on the coming May holidays, especially on the Victory Day.

The honorable guests received souvenirs and gifts. Handing over a model of Makhachkala to Capt 1 rank Oleg Zhuravlev who used to hold a post of Caspian Flotilla Deputy Commander in 2007-2008, Leonid Grabovets joked: "Oleg Vladimirovich! Let me present you the model of Makhachkala and consider the ship is delivered!"

The construction manager reported the corvette was ready to leave launching dock. Sponsor of Makhachkala was an employee of the yard's engineering department Svetlana Alexandriyskaya; she traditionally smashed the bottle of champagne aboard the ship. Then there was a command to flood the dock, and 50 minutes later the newest corvette was moored at outfitting quay.

Astern Makhachkala stays her predecessor, corvette Volgodonsk. The ship has been already commissioned into the Navy and within the next couple of weeks will be transferred to Astrakhan via inland waterways. After shipyard's sea and state acceptance trials, Makhachkala will be transferred to the Caspian Sea as well, expectedly in Sept or Oct 2012.