Cruiser Petr Veliky met US-Indian task force in Indian Ocean

30.04.2010 Russian heavy nuclear-powered missile cruiser Petr Veliky on Thursday met task force of US and Indian ships conducting large-scale exercise Malabar-2010 in Indian Ocean, reports RIA Novosti.

"Presently, we're in the zone of US-Indian exercise Malabar-2010; we met their joint task force consisting of US cruiser and guided missile frigate as well as two Indian frigates. We exchanged international signals with foreign task force identifying that our ship was conducting exercises; they did the same", said Capt 1 rank Vladimir Yakushev, cruise executive officer.

He pointed out that the Russian cruiser and foreign ships try not to hinder each other.

Previously, Petr Veliky and Black Sea Fleet's (BSF) flagship Guard missile cruiser Moskva carried out joint reconnaissance tasks. By the way, Russian warships were searching right that task force.

Heavy nuclear-powered missile cruiser Petr Veliky is a flagship of Northern Fleet; the ship sailed off Naval Base Severomorsk on March 30 to participate in large-scale ocean exercise along with Russian task force. Port calls and joint drills with Russian military partners are scheduled during the cruise.

Petr Veliky is the world's biggest non-carrying warship. The cruiser is designed for destruction of large sea surface targets, antiaircraft and antisubmarine defense of naval formations in distant regions of the World Ocean.

BSF flagship Guard missile cruiser Moskva sailed off Sevastopol on Apr 9 to conduct exercise in the World Ocean. At present, the ship continues to perform tasks in Indian Ocean.

Cruiser Moskva is the lead ship of Project 1164 Atlant which comprised first six Soviet cruisers powered by gas turbines. In Feb 1983 the cruiser was commissioned into Red Banner's Black Sea Fleet.