MOSCOW. Feb 18 (Interfax-AVN) - The construction of a new naval base for the Black Sea Fleet in Novorossiisk is well under way in accordance to plan, said the Black Sea Fleet's deputy chief of staff, Captain First Rank Yury Zemsky.
"The construction of naval bases for the Black Sea Fleet in Russia is well under way. The naval base in Novorossiisk is being built and repaired according to schedule," Zemsky said on Ekho Moskvy radio on Saturday.
The Black Sea Fleet is due to receive new warships, submarines and other marine facilities, he said.
"New warships are being built at Russian shipyards for the Black Sea Fleet, including a Project 1136.6 warship, as well as two diesel submarines, which are expected to augment the fleet's potential in the Black Sea," he said.
The fleet has two combat-ready hovercraft, Zemsky said.
"The Black Sea Fleet has no manning problems. Its warships and units are fully manned by conscript and contract servicemen," he said.
The Black Sea Fleet's warships regularly participate in naval maneuvers as part of the Russian Navy and international task forces, Zemsky said.
The fleet took part in naval maneuvers in the Mediterranean early this year jointly with warships of the Northern and Baltic fleets. "The inter-fleet task force was comprised of 20 warships of various classes," he said, adding that the Russian naval maneuvers in the Mediterranean Sea were in no way connected with the situation in Syria.