SARDINIA, Italy. Aug 27 (Interfax-AVN) - A group of Black Sea Fleet warships, headed by Fleet Commander Vice Admiral Vladimir Masorin, arrived at Sardinia, Italy, on Wednesday.
"One of the missions of the visit is representation for the President Vladimir Putin's visit to Italy to meet Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi," Masorin told Interfax-Military News Agency Wednesday onboard the Moskva flagship.
The presidential press service had previously told Interfax that the visit would be supported by the Black Sea Fleet.
According to the admiral, "the Moskva will hold a reception for the high-ranking guests."
When the official part of the visit is over, the Black Sea Fleet warships will hold joint maneuvers with the Audace destroyer, Sardinia autonomous naval command. The agenda of the Mediterranean voyage also includes visits to La Specia, Italy and Patra, Greece, the fleet commander said.
According to Masorin, the group including the Moskva, the Smetlivy patrol ship and the Ivan Bubnov tanker will come back to Sevastopol on September 15.