--- In [email protected], "Sandy Dwiyono" <masboy2...@...>
wrote:
>
> http://en.rian.ru/russia/20081209/118759331.html
>
> *Russian naval task force heads for Indian Ocean on tour of duty
>
> *
>
> *VLADIVOSTOK*, December 9 (RIA Novosti) - A task force from
*Russia's
> Pacific Fleet* left its main base in Vladivostok on Tuesday for a
tour of
> duty in the Indian Ocean, a fleet official said.
>
> The task force comprises the Admiral Vinogradov, an Udaloy class
missile
> destroyer, a tugboat, and two tankers.
>
> "The current tour of duty will demonstrate the ability of the
Russian Navy
> to protect the country's interests in the world's oceans," said
Capt. 1st
> Rank Roman Markov, a spokesman for the Pacific Fleet.
>
> According to the official, the task force will pay a visit to the
Indian
> port of Mormugao and participate in the joint naval exercises INDRA-
2009
> with the Indian Navy in January.
>
> INDRA is a biennial Russian-Indian exercise aimed at practicing
cooperation
> in enforcing maritime law and countering piracy, terrorism, and drug
> smuggling. INDRA-2009 is the fourth such exercise since 2003.
>
> The task force will also conduct joint exercises with a task force
from
> Russia's Northern Fleet, led by the Pyotr Veliky (Peter the Great)
> nuclear-powered missile cruiser, which will arrive in the Indian
Ocean after
> a current tour of duty in the Atlantic and the Caribbean.
>
> Following the exercises, the Admiral Vinogradov will replace the
> Neustrashimy (Fearless) missile destroyer from Russia's Northern
Fleet in
> the Horn of Africa to protect commercial shipping from pirate
attacks off
> the Somali coast.
>
> Vice Admiral Konstantin Sidenko, commander of the Pacific Fleet,
earlier
> said that Russian warships from the fleet would make several long-
range
> training sorties in the South Pacific and Indian oceans in 2009, and
> participate in a number of exercises involving live-firing drills.
>
> Russia announced last year that its navy had resumed and would
build up a
> constant presence in different regions of the world's oceans.
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
