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Black Sea Fleet frigate returns home from Mediterranean mission

The warship’s sea mission lasted over four months

Admiral Grigorovich frigate Alexander Karpushkin/TASS

Admiral Grigorovich frigate

© Alexander Karpushkin/TASS

MOSCOW, July 12. /TASS/. The Black Sea Fleet’s frigate Admiral Grigorovich has returned to Sevastopol after accomplishing missions in the Mediterranean Sea, the Fleet’s press office reported on Wednesday.

"The crew of the Black Sea Fleet’s frigate Admiral Grigorovich has completed accomplishing missions as part of the Russian Navy’s permanent task force in the Mediterranean Sea and has arrived at Sevastopol. The warship’s sea mission lasted over four months," the press office said.

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The Admiral Grigorovich was replaced by the Black Sea Fleet’s new same-type frigate Admiral Essen that started accomplishing missions in the Mediterranean Sea from July 10.

As was reported in late June, the frigates Admiral Essen, Admiral Grigorovich and the submarine Krasnodar destroyed large arms depots of the Islamic State terrorist organization (outlawed in Russia) with six cruise missiles in Syria, delivering the strikes from the eastern portion of the Mediterranean Sea.

The Russian Navy’s warships have started accomplishing missions in the Mediterranean Sea on a permanent basis since December 2012. The Russian Navy’s Mediterranean task force is commanded by Captain 1st Rank Pavel Yasnitsky. Russia’s Mediterranean grouping includes about 15 warships and support vessels of the Black Sea Fleet.

The Admiral Grigorovich is the Project 11356 lead blue-water frigate. The frigates of this type displace about 4,000 tonnes, develop a speed of 30 knots and have a sea endurance of 30 days.

The Admiral Grigorovich is armed with Kalibr-NK cruise missiles, the Shtil-1 self-defense missile system, the A-190 100mm artillery gun, air defense artillery, a rocket launcher and torpedoes and can also carry a deck-based Kamov Ka-27 or Ka-31 helicopter.

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