MOSCOW. July 12 (Interfax) - The Tsiklon corvette, part of Project 22800 Karakurt and built at the shipyard in Kerch, has joined the Russian Black Sea Fleet, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Wednesday.
"The ceremony for commissioning the Tsiklon corvette by the Russian Navy and the raising of the St. Andrew's naval flag took place at the Butoma shipyard in Kerch today," the ministry said.
Russian Navy Commander Nikolai Yevmenov headed the ceremony, it said.
"The ceremony launches the service of the Tsiklon corvette and its crew. The ship has been assigned to the Black Sea Fleet by an order of the Navy's commander in chief," the ministry said.
"The ship will enhance the Black Sea Fleet's surface component and will effectively accomplish its missions as part of fleet groups and units," the ministry quoted Yevmenov as saying.
According to the ministry, the Tsiklon is the first warship fully built and tested at the Kerch shipyard in the past 25 years.
The Tsiklon corvette of Project 22800 Karakurt is armed with a Kalibr universal missile system, an AK-176MA artillery system, a Pantsir-M air defense missile system, and heavy machineguns.