Text: Baltic Fleet Information Support Group
Photo: BF minesweeper Alexei Lebedev.
Baltic Fleet (BF) minesweeping task group returned to BF main naval base Baltiysk on Sept 9. In the period of Aug 27–Sept 8 harbor minesweepers Alexei Lebedev and Sergei Kolbasiev under command of Capt 1 rank Pavel Prosekov, commander of harbor defense force took part in the international naval exercise Open Spirit annually held in the Baltic Sea.
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BF minesweepers finished Open Spirit 2010
09/10/2010 |
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BF minesweepers led by Capt. Lt. Alexander Sergienko and Capt. Lt. Sergei Tikhonov along with minesweeping ships from Belgium, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Finland, France, and Estonia practiced such important elements as joint maneuvering, underway replenishment, maintenance of communications and interaction, contingency response. Special attention was given to crew actions while search of explosive objects and mines, and firing at them from shipborne gun mounts and small arms.
Upon his arrival to Baltiysk, Capt. Lt. Pavel Prosekov said that "exercise's tasks are completed. Our ships were most integrative while sweeping drill. Minesweepers Alexei Lebedev and Sergei Kolbasiev "fished out" nine out of ten mines planted by our German counterparts in assigned area. By the way, it was revealed later that the tenth mine had not surfaced due to a technical reason, not because of our mariners' fault".
Staying in port of Klaipeda (Lithuania) where the exercise HQ was formed, Russian naval servicemen attended some protocol events, met with city governors, laid wreaths on Memorial to Soviet Soldiers died while liberation of Klaipeda from Nazi Germans, and had cultural and sport programs. During the open days on the BF minesweepers, over 500 Lithuanian guests visited Russian ships.
On Sept 4 a banquet was given by the cruise commander on board BF harbor minesweeper Alexei Lebedev for 12 veterans of the Great Patriotic War, our compatriots living in Klaipeda.
Results of the exercise were summarized on Sept 8 at the exercise HQ. All ships participated in the Open Spirit exercise are returning to their home bases.