MOSCOW. Dec 10 (Interfax-AVN) - The fast attack craft Orekhovo-Zuyevo armed with long-range Kalibr cruise missiles has joined Russia's Black Sea Fleet during a ceremony in Sevastopol on Monday, the fleet's press service said.
The raising of the Russian Navy ensign (St. Andrew's flag) on the new ship "marks the continuation of the fleet modernization plans," Black Sea Fleet Commander Vice Adm. Alexander Moiseyev said at the ceremony.
The Vasily Bykov patrol boat will join the Black Sea Fleet before the end of 2018 and the Dmitry Rogachyov patrol boat, the Ivan Antonov ocean minesweeper, and a new fast transport and landing boat in 2019, he said.
"Obviously, the Black Sea Fleet is getting stronger, which means Russia is also getting stronger on the southern maritime theater. I am sure the new vessel will start performing its missions in the long-range and close-range maritime zones very soon," he said.