All news

Russian deputy defense minister begins work at Baltic Fleet — source

Deputy defense minister leads a commission supposed to check the fleet’s documentation to bring it in conformity with the ministry’s requirements

KALININGRAD, July 5. /TASS/. A special commission led by Deputy Defense Minister Timur Ivanov has begun its work at Russia’s Baltic Fleet after the fleet’s command was dismissed in late June, a source in the fleet’s headquarters told TASS on Tuesday.

According to the source, members of the commission have begun their work to check the fleet’s documentation to bring it in conformity with the Russian defense ministry’s requirements.

"Members of the commission will also organize work to bring to the proper condition hardware and weapons of the coastal troops, air force and the fleet’s forces deployed in Kaliningrad, Baltiisk, the Leningrad naval base and other localities. The commission will work for several months," the source said.

The commission includes officers from central military governing bodies, the Navy command, the Western Military District, the Baltic Fleet’s combat training department and other services.

"Rotation of officers between the four Russian fleets is to follow" personnel reshuffles at the Baltic Fleet, the source said.

TASS has no official confirmation of these data. However Russia’s Spetsstroy press service said earlier that Ivanov had arrived on a working trip to Russia’s westernmost Kaliningrad region to inspect the course of reconstruction of the naval base in Baltiisk.