RNS Neustrashimy started crossing Suez Canal

14.01.2010 Source: RIA Novosti, photo: frigate Neustrashimy (flickr.com)

Russian frigate Neustrashimy started crossing Suez Canal Thursday morning, informs RIA Novosti referring to Navy press service.

"When the canal is crossed in 08.00 pm (Moscow time), the ship will head for certain region to receive data about situation at the Gulf of Aden and Horn of Africa from large ASW ship (LAS) Admiral Chabanenko", said the interviewee.

According to him, the crew of Neustrashimy is ready to complete assigned tasks on securing civil navigation at the pirate hazardous areas. The ship's equipment and armament operates normally.

Baltic Fleet's (BF) frigate Neustrashimy will shift Northern Fleet's (NF) large ASW ship Admiral Chabanenko in anti-piracy mission near Horn of Africa.

According to Russian Navy Main HQ, in 2010 Russian warships will continue regular presence in the Gulf of Aden and off Horn of Africa.

"That is motivated by steady statistics of pirate assaults against civil vessels constituting a serious threat to Russian sailors", reminded the interviewee.

Neustrashimy is the first Russian warship deployed for counter-piracy mission in 2008. Three task units have been dispatched by Pacific Fleet to patrol the Gulf of Aden after Neustrashimy last year.

The first one, consisting of LAS Admiral Vinogradov, rescue tug Foty Krylov, tankers Boris Butoma and Pechenga, kept watch near Horn of Africa in Jan-March. The second unit, consisting of LAS Admiral Panteleev, rescue tug SB-37, tankers Izhora and Irkut, took part in international operation since Apr 27 till June 7. In 2009 anti-piracy mission was finished by PF task unit led by LAS Admiral Tributs; then it was shifted by NF mariners.

"Since January till October 2009 PF warships had successfully escorted over 100 Russian and foreign ships; prevented several pirates' attempts to capture vessels. Pacific Fleet Command received dozens of grateful letters and radiograms from captains and shipowners of different countries", said Roman Martov, the head of PF Information and Public Relations Service to RIA Novosti.

Representatives of Russian shipping companies which vessels sail through the dangerous region consider Russian warships should continue their patrols until the situation is stabilized.