Caesar Kunikov arrived at Corfu

15.10.2009
Black Sea Fleet's large amphibious ship Caesar Kunikov called at Greek port Corfu on Wednesday, says RIA Novosti referring to Vasily Gavrilov, public relations officer of Russian embassy in Greece.

The crew will take part in annual social Russian-Greek forum "Russian week at Corfu". Russian mariners will lay wreath on monuments to Admiral Fedor Ushakov and first Greek President Ioannis Kapodistrias. They will also play a friendly soccer match with local team.

Then the vessel is to visit Greek ports Pilos and Pirei. During first port call on Oct 19-21 the crew will participate in festivities of 182nd anniversary of Navarino victory; Black Sea Fleet's Ensemble will give a concert for local public. In Pirei the crew is going to lay wreath on monument to Russian sailors on Oct 22-24.

Meetings with Greek military and civil officials in call ports and "open hours" at the ship are scheduled as well.

Except visiting Greece, Caesar Kunikov will call at Italian ports Taranto and Civitavecchia.

The vessel arrived in Mediterranean to take part in annual Russian-Italian joint exercise IONIEX-2009. The task is to train joint maneuvering and ship defense from external threat, perform pilotage, carry out search operation and render assistance to a vessel in distress.

Captain of Caesar Kunikov is Capt. 2 rank Sergei Larchuk; cruise commander is Capt. 1 rank Sergei Zinchenko, BSF surface ships unit chief of staff.

Caesar Kunikov is Project 775 large amphibious ship.

Registration

Black Sea Fleet.

Construction, name

The ship was built in Gdansk (Poland) in 1984 and put afloat in 1986. Its initial description was BDK-64, and since 1991 it has been bearing the name of Caesar Kunikov.

Milestones

In 2003 the ship participated in INDRA-2003 Russian-Indian maneuvers.

In 2004 and 2005 it took part in BLACKSEAFOR international exercise.

On March 26, 2007 an accidental discharge happened while checking of ship's gun mount. 57-mm shell flew in the direction of Sakharnaya Golovka near Sevastopol and exploded in air. There were no casualties.

On Aug 10, 2008 it was a flagship of Russian strike group in battle against Georgian boats in South Ossetia conflict. Strike group contained large amphibious ship Caesar Kunikov, large amphibious ship Saratov, small missile ship Mirazh and small antisubmarine ship Suzdalets.

Performance

Speed: 18 knots
Operating range: 6 000 miles at 12 knots
Crew: 87 men

Dimensions

Displacement: 4 080 tonnes
Length: 112.5 meters
Beam: 15 meters
Draft: 3.7 meters

Powerplant

2 diesels, 2 screws, power – 19 200 hp.

Armament

2 coupled 57-mm gun mounts AK-725, 2 MLRS A-215 Grad-M launchers, 4 MANPADS Strela-2 launchers. The ship may carry up to 500 tonnes of cargo or vehicles and 225 marines.

Source: RusNavy.com, photo: LAS Caesar Kunikov (atrinaflot.narod.ru)