02.02.2009
A flagship of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, the guard missile cruiser Moskva, and the Italian destroyer Andrea Doria held joint naval exercises in the Ionian Sea near the mouth of the Strait of Messina on Friday.
The sailors from both countries drilled elements of joint maneuvering, girder signaling, communication support, and joint detection of surface targets.
The tree-day unofficial visit of the Russian cruiser to the Italian port of Messina ended on Friday morning. The Russian cruiser took part in a solemn ceremony to commemorate the victims of the 1908 earthquake, when Russian sailors were amongst the first to offer help to the ravaged Italian city.
