MOSCOW. Nov 15 (Interfax) - The Neustrashimy frigate has completed a long deployment, which included port calls in seven countries and executing tasks in various parts of the World Ocean, including near the coast of Israel and Yemen, the Baltic Fleet said in a statement on Friday.
"During the sea journey, the Neustrashimy's crew executed tasks related to Russia's naval presence in the far oceanic zone and demonstrating the St. Andrew's flag in the World Ocean, including off the coast of Israel and the Republic of Yemen. One of the tasks was to provide safety for shipping navigation in piracy-prone parts of the World Ocean," the statement said.
On completing the tasks, the Neustrashimy returned to base, the city of Baltiysk, it said.
During the over four-month journey, the Russian ship overcame a distance of some 30,000 nautical miles. In that time she paid informal visits to the ports of Syria, Cuba, Tanzania, South Africa, Namibia and Congo. "For the first time in history, a Russian Navy ship, the Baltic Fleet frigate Neustrashimy, called at the port of Cotonou in the Republic of Benin," the statement said.
During the journey, the crew held dozens of drills and practice sessions in air and anti-submarine defense, navigation safety, and communications and command organization, the service said.
"In conjunction with the ship crew, pilots searched for a mock enemy submarine. [...] The marines aboard the ship honed their nautical skills. During the journey they held numerous classes in live fire training, with target practices involving various types of small arms against nautical mockups, and drilled various counterterrorist scenarios," the statement said.
The Neustrashimy is the first Project 11540 ship, according to official information. She was built at Yantar shipyard in 1990. In 1991, she entered service in the Baltic Fleet. In 2014, the ship was sent for routine maintenance. In 2023, the ship was handed over to the Russian Navy after upgrade.