Russian Moskva Underway for the Med and Atlantic

The Russian cruiser Moskva (foreground) conducting a counter-terrorism exercise with the Spanish frigate SPS Navarra and the British destroyer HMS Nottingham. Photo: NATO.

Following extract was taken from the Russian MOD website, translated and submitted for interest and information by Old Crow (Dave Peters). Date of article 12 January 2008. Thanks as always David.

Guards Guided Missile Cruiser "Moskva" of the Black Sea Fleet has left Sevastopol' on a distant water deployment.

" Today, the Flagship of the Black Sea Fleet, the GGMC "Moskva", under the flag of the Deputy Commander in Chief of the Black Sea Fleet, Vice Admiral Vasilij Kondakov, left Sevastopol' and took course for the Black Sea Straits (The Bosphorus?).

The GGMC "Moskva" is soon to become part of the Surface Vessel Strike Group from the Northern Fleet at the head of which is the Heavy Aircraft-Carrying Cruiser "Admiral
of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov". The "Moskva" is scheduled to carry out missions in the Mediterranean Sea and in the Atlantic Ocean.

Earlier, in order to provide assistance to the Strike Group, the Large Tanker "Ivan Bubnov" had left Sevastopol'. The Medium Tanker "Iman" and the Rescue Tug "SB-35" are already in the Mediterranean Sea.

AOR Ivan Bubnov, Photo: NATO

At a meeting prior to the departure of the "Moskva", the crew was addressed by the Commander in Chief of the Black Sea Fleet, Vice Admiral Aleksandr Kletskov. He wished the crew of the vessel success and a happy voyage/trip."

Guided missile cruiser Moskva, (ex-Slava) of the Russian Federation Navy. Launched in 1979 she entered service in 1983. In 2000 she underwent a modernization refit and was re-commissioned as Moskva, hull number 121. She is also the flagship of the Russian Black Sea Fleet.

The two links below have pictures of Moskva in port in Messina, Sicily.

http://www.nato.int/pictures/2006/060210i/b060210ic.jpg

http://www.nato.int/pictures/2006/060210i/b060210iz.jpg

More pictures of Moskva are avialable at this NATO website link.

http://www.nato.int/multi/photos/2006/m060210i.htm