MOSCOW. July 12 (Interfax) - The Merkury, a corvette which joined Russia's Black Sea Fleet in May, will supplement the Russian squadron operating in the eastern part of the Mediterranean, Navy Commander Nikolai Yevmenov said.
"This year, plant workers delivered the Merkury to us for the Black Sea, which will perform its service duties in the eastern Mediterranean," Yevmenov said in an interview for the Zvezda television channel.
The Northern Fleet will receive the Admiral Golovko frigate this year, he said.
"In this year's challenging conditions, we're receiving a strategic missile cruiser, multirole nuclear submarines armed with precision-guided weapons, and diesel submarines," Yevmenov said.
The Merkury joined the Russian Navy on May 13, 2023.
The Merkury is the fifth vessel built as part of Project 20380 at the Severnaya Verf shipyard (part of the United Shipbuilding Corporation), which is designed to patrol coastal and remote marine areas and oppose surface ships, submarines, and aircraft.
According to official open data, Project 20380 ships are made using stealth technology and are armed with 100mm versatile artillery systems, anti-aircraft missile and artillery systems, and anti-ship missiles, and can carry one Kamov Ka-27PL helicopter on their deck.