Pacific Fleet Task Unit Returns to Homebase Vladivostok, Russia

Pacific Fleet (PF) task unit comprising large ASW ship Admiral Panteleyev, tanker Boris Butoma, and salvage tug Fotiy Krylov headed by Capt 1 rank Andrei Saprykin on Feb 12 returned to homebase Vladivostok from anti-piracy mission in the Gulf of Aden.

The sixth PF task unit departed from Vladivostok on Aug 29, 2011. Through the 5.5-month deployment within international anti-piracy task force, PF mariners have escorted six commercial convoys through safety corridor.

Russian servicemen paid visits to ports of Cambodia, Djibouti, Seychelles, Indonesia, and Philippines. They also held joint communication and maneuvering drills with foreign colleagues.

When on anti-piracy mission, all PF ships have special marine units and deck-based helicopters on board.

In the port of Djibouti, PF mariners attended pre-schedule parliamentary voting. In total, servicemen of the task unit have spent 5.5 months at sea.

The seventh PF anti-piracy task unit led by large ASW ship Admiral Tributs is presently deployed in the Gulf of Aden. It took over the anti-piracy watch in Dec 2011 and has already escorted four merchant convoys.

According to Russian Navy command, PF task units perform the mission successfully.

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Naval Today Staff , February 14, 2012; Image: mil