KALININGRAD, August 11. /TASS/. The Russian Baltic Fleet’s missile frigate Yaroslav Mudry staying in the Gulf of Aden on an anti-piracy mission has held air defense, anti-ship and anti-submarine warfare drills and is preparing to escort a convoy of civil ships, Fleet Spokesman Roman Martov said on Saturday.
"In accordance with the voyage’s plan, seaborne drills have been held aboard the frigate Yaroslav Mudry performing an anti-piracy mission in the Gulf of Aden to practice ship damage control, air defense, anti-ship and anti-submarine warfare. The personnel of the anti-terror squad aboard the frigate practiced measures by inspection groups on the deck and in the ship’s compartments," the spokesman said.
All the combat training measures are being held in the period when a convoy of civil ships is being formed for their escort by the Russian warship in areas of the Gulf of Aden posing the danger of pirates’ attacks, the spokesman said.
The missile frigate Yaroslav Mudry left the naval harbor of Baltiysk on April 15. The warship’s basic tasks during its voyage in distant waters are to demonstrate the Russian Navy’s presence, accomplish assignments in accordance with combat training plans and ensure safe shipping in the area of the Gulf of Aden and the Horn of Africa.
The Yaroslav Mudry is the Project 11540 ‘Hawk’ frigate built at the Yantar Shipyard on the Baltic coast in Kaliningrad. The frigate is designated to search for, detect and track enemy submarines, provide anti-ship and anti-submarine warfare defense for combat ships and vessels at sea, provide support for land troops’ combat operations, provide for marines’ landing and accomplish other assignments. The Yaroslav Mudry has been in service with the Baltic Fleet since July 2009.