04.02.2008Head commander of the Russian Northern Fleet, Admiral Vladimir Vysotskii, says his fleet will do anything to strengthen its presence in the places where Russia has strategic interests. He also confirms that the fleet from now on will conduct major rehearsals once every six months.
This weekend, a powerful group of Northern Fleet vessels returned home after a several week long training mission.
The Northern Fleet vessels headed by the Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier conducted several training operations both in the Atlantic and in the Mediterranean. Also vessels from the Black Sea fleet joined parts of the rehearsal.
Mr. Vysotskii admitted to journalists yesterday that the fleet still has no chances to keep a permanent presence in international waters. However, he left little doubt that the Northern Fleet will gradually strengthen its international presence.
- We will do anything to strengthen our presence in the areas where Russia has strategic interests, he maintained. He also said that major navy rehearsals from now on will be conducted every six months.