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Russia's Black Sea Fleet (BSF) ships return from East Mediterranean to home bases, said a Russian Navy's spokesman.
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Defense Ministry: BSF Ships Return from Mediterranean Deployment
12/10/2012 |
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"Guards missile cruiser Moskva, landing ships Novocherkassk and Saratov deployed in the East Mediterranean within the Black Sea Fleet task force are on the way home", he said.
"Russian Navy command decided to draw the ships back for timely discharge of conscript sailors", reports Interfax citing the defense ministry's official.
As for him, the rest ships of the task force will continue deployment in the eastern part of the Mediterranean Sea. "Presently, we consider the possibility for the ships to return back to the Mediterranean", added the spokesman.
He reminded that the task unit consisting of Guards missile cruiser Moskva, landing ships Novocherkassk and Saratov was earlier heading for Somalia to join Pacific Fleet warships. Ships of the two fleets were supposed to counter sea piracy around the Horn of Africa.
The representative of Russian defense ministry told that the unit had been later tasked to station off the Gaza Strip due to escalating Israeli-Palestine conflict. The ships were supposed to evacuate Russian citizens from the Palestinian autonomy. Finally, passage of the Suez Canal was deferred to a later date.