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Russia’s Moskva missile cruiser calls at Sicilian port
01/28/2009 Source:Translation: RusNavy.com
The Russian guided missile cruiser Moskva, a flagship of the Black Sea Fleet, arrived at the port of Messina, Sicily, on Tuesday, where it will take part in a solemn ceremony to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the earthquake that devastated most of this southern part of Sicily and Calabria and Russian sailors’ participation in the rescue effort, the Ria Novosti news agency reported, citing a source in the information service of the Russian Navy.
Rear Admiral Aleksander Kovshar, deputy commander of the Black Sea Fleet in charge of weapons and weapons exploitation, is the head of the expedition, while Captain First Class Igor Smoliak commands the ship. Mikhail Kolombet, the Russian general consul in Palermo, will also attend the ceremony.
Artists of the folk songs and dances ensemble and the orchestra of the command of the Black Sea Fleet, as well as journalists, are onboard the Moskva.
In addition to the Moskva, U.S., British, German, Spanish, and Danish warships will likewise take part in the commemorations, the source said.
The city of Messina, Silicy, and that of Regio-di-Calabria across the Strait of Messina were both hit by a devastating earthquake of an estimated magnitude of 7.5 on the Richter scale on December 28, 1908. Russian sailors of the Northern Fleet were among the first to arrive at the scene and offer help. Working without sparing efforts, they did everything in their power and helped save many lives.