Russian destroyer to join UN anti-piracy mission off Somalia this week

12.07.2010 Russia's Admiral Levchenko destroyer will join a UN anti-piracy mission off the coast of Somalia at the start of this week, a spokesman for the Defense Ministry said on Sunday.

"The Admiral Levchenko is currently replenishing water and food supplies from the Olekma support vessel. It is planned that it will start fulfilling its assignments in two days," the spokesman said.

The previous task force was led by the Udaloy-class guided-missile destroyer Marshal Shaposhnikov, which took part in freeing the Russian Moscow University tanker hijacked on May 6 by Somali pirates.

The Russian Navy has maintained a presence off the Horn of Africa with warships operating on a rotation basis. Russia joined international anti-piracy efforts off the Somali coast in October 2008.