MOSCOW. Jan 14 (Interfax-AVN) - Russian and Chinese warships have completed their first-ever joint mission in the transportation of Syrian chemical weapons in the Mediterranean, a source from the Russian Defense Ministry press service and information department told reporters on Tuesday.
"The Pyotr Veliky heavy nuclear-powered missile cruiser interacting with China's Yancheng frigate accomplished an important mission as escorts ensuring the safe voyage of the Danish special-purpose ship Ark Futura with the first batch of Syrian chemical weapons onboard on January 7. Permanent contact was maintained with the Chinese ship in the course of the escorting operation," the source said.
"The mission, which saw the first-ever interaction between warships of the Russian and Chinese navies in a military operation, was accomplished with merit," he stressed.
The Pyotr Veliky cruiser is currently staying in a designated area of the Mediterranean; it is prepared to continue providing for the safe transport of Syrian chemical weapons, the ministry's representative said.
"A Russian Navy force comprised of the Admiral Kuznetsov heavy aircraft carrier, the Admiral Levchenko destroyer, the Olenegorsky Gornyak large landing ship and three support vessels is expected to arrive in the Mediterranean soon. The ships are moving from the North Fleet base to eastern areas of the Mediterranean," the ministry reported.
The Russian Air Force's military transport aircraft performed 38 flights from the Chkalovsky military airfield to the Latakia international airport on December 18-20, 2013 to deliver 75 all-wheel-drive vehicles: 50 Kamaz-5350-314 trucks and 25 Ural-4320-31 armored trucks. Fifteen Ilyushin Il-76 aircraft of the Russian Air Force made the deliveries.
"The trucks are transporting Syrian chemical weapons to the Latakia port, where the weapons are loaded on special-purpose vessels for their transportation by sea to the scrapping site," the ministry said.
In addition, Russia supplied Syria with 20 water tanks, 13 field kitchens and 52 UST-56 army tents to support to chemical weapons' transportation, the ministry said.