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Russia’s naval ship Vice-Admiral Kulakov escorts Chinese tanker through Gulf of Aden

Russian ships regularly participate in the protection of merchant shipping in the Gulf of Aden, where the risk of attacks by pirates is high

© Vadim Savitsky/Russian Defense Ministry's Press Office/TASS

MOSCOW, September 5. /TASS/. The Russian Northern Fleet’s anti-submarine ship The Vice-Admiral Kulakov, currently on a long voyage, has escorted an oil tanker flying the Chinese flag through the Gulf of Aden and entered Oman’s port of Salalah, the Northern Fleet’s press-service said in a news release.

Russian ships regularly participate in the protection of merchant shipping in the Gulf of Aden, where the risk of attacks by pirates is high.

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The ship’s visit to Salalah will last several days, during which time the ship will replenish water and food supplies. The crew will be able to disembark for recreation.

"After the stopover in Salalah the ship will proceed with its anti-piracy mission in the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea," the press-service said.

The Vice-Admiral Kulakov on July 31 left the Gulf of Finland with a group of ships of the Russian Navy that participated in a parade off Kronshtadt. On August 12 the ship entered the Mediterranean, replenished fuel, water and food supplies on Cyprus and on August 25 moved into the Red Sea through the Suez Canal on a mission to maintain the safety of shipping in the Gulf of Aden.

The Vice-Admiral Kulakov crew’s total voyage time is the greatest in the Russian Navy. In 2016 alone the ship performed three long-term missions in the Arctic, the Atlantic and Indian oceans and in the Mediterranean. The crews of the Northern Fleet’s anti-submarine ships last year spent a total of 265 days in long voyages.

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