A hundred sailors were awarded Guard certificates

27.01.2009
The missile cruiser Moskva, under the command of Captain First Class Igor Smolyak, continues its mission in the Mediterranean Sea. The ship is currently on its way towards Sicily, where it is scheduled to take part in an international memorial ceremony to remember the victims of the earthquake that shook the town of Messina in 1908.

Officers and sailors celebrated aboard the ship the Official Day of the Navigation Service of the Russian Navy on January 25. The head of the mission, the deputy commander of the Black Sea Fleet in charge of weapons and weapons exploitation, Rear Admiral Aleksander Kovshar, awarded the best specialists certificates, medals of the Fleet, and other gifts.

In the first half of the day, a drill involving missile firing took place aboard the ship. The mock targets were surface ships and an onshore structure. The commander of the ship, Captain First Class Sergei Zinchenko, noted that the objectives set before the mission were all achieved.

A bit later in the mess hall, a ritual dedicated to new recruits was held. According to long-established traditions, a flag of the Russian Federation, the flag of the Russian Navy, and the pennant of the Ministry of Defense of the USSR were set before a formation of sailors. One hundred and three sailors were awarded certificates and medals on the occasion. Addressing the sailors who had sworn allegiance to the guard, Rear Admiral Alexander Kovshar noted that joining the guard was a notable event in the life any sailor. “To serve in the Fleet, on the cruiser, is a great honor. Value it and remember that such luck, such an honorable mission and responsibility befall not everyone,” he stressed.

A concert was then held in the mess hall; with a performance by the folk song and dancing assemble of the Black Sea Fleet. The artists of the ensemble performed songs well-known amongst sailors as well as new ones specially dedicated to the unofficial visit to Messina. A rehearsal of a special ceremony for the welcoming of honored guests will be held onboard the ship a day before it enters the port of Messina.
Source: The Russian Federation Ministry of Defence

Translation: RusNavy.com