MOSCOW, December 6 (AVN) - The number of vessels in the Russian Navy has reduced by 1,000 in the past 10 years, a spokesman for the Navy Staff said on Monday.
The reduction is due to lack of financing necessary to maintain vessels in satisfactory conditions, the spokesman told the Military News Agency.
According to him, the number of nuclear missile and multi-purpose submarines has reduced almost three times, and the number of diesel submarines four times in the above-mentioned period. As to first- and second-rank surface ships, their number has also considerably reduced, he said.
In the past 10 years, the budget has provided only eight to 10 percent of financing the Navy needed to organise capital, middle and regular repairs of its vessels. In 1999, the Navy has lost 14 ships.