MOSCOW, October 23. /TASS/. The Russian Baltic Fleet’s missile frigate Yaroslav Mudry will return to the home base of Baltyisk from its voyage to the Syrian coasts on October 27, Russia’s Defense Ministry reported on Tuesday.
"October 27 is the date of receiving the missile frigate Yaroslav Mudry from its voyage in distant waters after it accomplished missions for ensuring naval presence in operationally important areas of the Mediterranean Sea," the ministry said in a statement.
The official ceremony of receiving the warship will be held at the Baltic Fleet’s main naval base of Baltyisk.
The Yaroslav Mudry and the tanker Lena set off for a voyage in distant waters on April 15. The warship’s crew was on an anti-piracy mission in the Gulf of Aden for six months, made some business calls at the ports of Africa, and also took part in large-scale maneuvers held under the direction of Russian Navy Commander-in-Chief Admiral Vladimir Korolyov off the coasts of Syria.
The Soviet Navy’s 5th Mediterranean Squadron served as a prototype for the Russian Navy’s permanent Mediterranean taskforce operating at present. The 5th operational Soviet Squadron dealt with the tasks of naval presence in the Mediterranean theater of operations during the Cold War period. Its main rival was the US Navy’s 6th Fleet. The Soviet Squadron was disbanded on December 31, 1992, a year after the disintegration of the Soviet Union.
As it emerged in 2013, Russia was creating a new operational Mediterranean taskforce in its modern history. Russia’s new permanent taskforce is dealing with planned and emergency combat missions arising in the Mediterranean theater of operations, including warding off threats for Russia’s national and military security.