MURMANSK, October 1./TASS/. The large anti-submarine warship, the Severomorsk, of the Russian Northern Fleet, currently on a long-distance voyage, has sailed into the Indian Ocean from the Red Sea where it will be protecting civilian vessels against pirates, the fleet’s press service said.
On its way through the Gulf of Aden, the ship monitored the safety of civilian vessels in the areas where pirates are most active. "A Ka-27PS helicopter with an anti-terrorist group on board took to the air to check out the situation," the press service said.
The Severomorsk will stay in the Indian Ocean for more than two months. Its crew will carry out a number of military-diplomatic missions as well as work to ensure the safe passage of civilian vessels along the waters of the Gulf of Aden. It is also scheduled for a number of business calls at ports of coastal African and Asian states.
Until mid-September, the Severomorsk had operated as part of a permanent group of Russian naval ships in the Mediterranean. Early in September, it participated in a large-scale naval exercise, successfully training anti-submarine tasks.
It has already covered more than 15,500 nautical miles on a long-distance voyage.