Pacific Fleet Ships Continue Visiting Maizuru, Japan

29.08.2012 Meeting ceremony of the Russian naval mariners took place in Japanese naval base Maizuru on Aug 28 when mooring of the Pacific Fleet (PF) task unit was over.

The ceremony was attended by Colonel S. Shashkov, assistant to Russian military attaché in Japan, and Rear Admiral Kitagawa, chief of Maizuru naval district. After execution of both national anthems by Japanese military band, the PF task unit commander Capt 1 Rank Sergei Sobokar delivered a speech.

The first day of the visit was full of traditional meetings. A working conference took place on board PF destroyer Admiral Panteleyev after the ceremony. Then Russian Navy's delegation paid a courtesy visit to the Maizuru base commander and the city mayor.

Naval mariners of the both countries visited host ship Japanese destroyer Mineyuki and Russian destroyer Admiral Panteleyev. PF servicemen laid wreaths at a monument to lost sailors. Later on, mariners competed in volleyball and were let on leave ashore.

On Aug 29, Russian and Japanese servicemen played friendly soccer game. In the evening, commander of the Russian naval task unit gave a banquette on board destroyer Admiral Panteleyev.

In the next days, Japanese party plans to arrange excursion tours around historical sites and visiting of the Russian warship by locals of Maizuru.

On Sept 1, PF mariners will say goodbye to hospitable Japan and set a homeward course. Our sailors are to return to Vladivostok early in Sept.

Recall that the PF task unit consisting of destroyer Admiral Panteleyev, seagoing rescue ship Fotiy Krylov, and replenishment oiler Boris Butoma is under way to Vladivostok after effective participation in the RIMPAC-2012 large-scale international exercise held nearby Hawaii.