Cruisers Petr Veliky and Moskva completed joint drills

12.05.2010 Crews of Northern Fleet (NF) and Black Sea Fleet (BSF) flagships – heavy nuclear-powered missile cruiser Petr Veliky and Guard missile cruiser Moskva – completed joint stage of long-range cruise on Wednesday and held traditional farewell ceremony in the South China Sea, reports RIA Novosti.

"Today we've finished joint stage of the cruise. During this period the ships carried out tasks of joint navigation, maneuvering on flagman's signals, cooperative use of arms, air defense drills, towage of damaged ship, abeam refueling, transfer of injured and sick personnel", said Capt 1 rank Sergei Zhuga, cruise commanding officer.

He added that during joint drills they had practiced flights of shipborne helicopters; the crews had trained passage of command from one ship to another. Generally, there was a wide range of tasks completed, said the officer.

"In addition, all drills were held during inter-theater maneuver, since we passed Indian Ocean together. The ships sailed jointly through the Strait of Malacca and the Strait of Singapore; they trained navigation in extreme conditions of narrow and crowded straits. All that contributed to proficiency of the crews", said Zhuga.

He also mentioned that cruiser Moskva was preparing for call at the port of Manila (Philippines), and Petr Veliky would continue long-range cruise in Pacific Ocean. Thereafter, the ships will join again to perform new training tasks along with Pacific Fleet warships.

Cruise commanding officer highly appreciated cohesiveness and professionalism of the crews of both warships.

"The crews proved the high level of combat readiness of the cruisers. All officers acted in professional manner while performing tasks of joint navigation and use of arms. They were perfectly doing their job in extreme conditions of tropical environment, low visibility, and heavy concentration of ships", pointed out Zhiga.

On Wednesday the two cruisers held traditional farewell ceremony after joint task performance. Petr Veliky and Moskva sailed close to each other; the crews paraded on decks rendering salute.

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. 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.