New FSB Coast Guard ships to provide security at Winter Olympics 2014

02.06.2010 Maritime security system will be established in the Black Sea by Winter Olympics 2014 in Sochi; it will include new ships being commissioned into Coast Guard, said Vladimir Pronichev, Director of FSB Frontier Service.

"FSB Coast Guard receives new ships at all maritime regions. But above all is renovation at Black Sea where the maritime security system is to be established by Winter Olympics 2014", said Pronichev in interview to Rossiyskaya Gazeta.

Pronichev said that a new ship would join FSB Coast Guard grouping. "We've already hoisted flag at a 21st century ship. This is a territorial sea ship with displacement of over 700 tons. We are going to build 20 such vessels", said the head of Frontier Service. According to him, the ship is equipped with the most advanced navigational facilities and has a shipborne helicopter.

Speaking about the mission of FSB Coast Guard, Pronichev reminded that formerly frontiersmen had been in charge only for sea border. Today, responsibility zone of Coast Guard includes seashore, adjacent maritime space, and offshore checkpoints, he said.

"The character of maritime missions demanded to establish specific structure of FSB Coast Guard, reformation of command system and staff training. All that caused the need to assign Coast Guard as a separate operational subdivision of Frontier Service", reported Interfax citing Pronichev.