ST. PETERSBURG. Feb 13 (Interfax-AVN) - The crew of the Mistral-class helicopter carrier Vladivostok will return to Kronshtadt from vacation in early March to begin preparations to leave for the French shipyard Saint Nazaire, the Main Headquarters of the Russian Navy told Interfax-AVN on Friday.
"The crew of the helicopter carrier Vladivostok is expected to return to Kronshtadt from vacation in early March. When the appropriate command is received, our sailors will leave again for Saint Nazaire on the training ship Smolny to take the first Mistral-class vessel," the source said.
The crew of the second helicopter carrier, the Sevastopol, whose construction is now nearing completion in Saint Nazaire, are now stationed in Vladivostok.