Today, the Russian Pacific Fleet celebrates its 287th anniversary.  Established in 1731 as part of the Imperial Russian Navy, the fleet was known as the Okhotsk Military Flotilla (1731-1856) and Siberian Military Flotilla (1856-1918), formed to defend Russian interests in the Russian Far East region along the Pacific coast. The Pacific Fleet's headquarters is located in Vladivostok. The fleet consists of 55 warships and 21 submarines. Russian guided missile cruiser Varyag is the flagship of Russia's Pacific fleet.