MOSCOW, July 1. /TASS/. On Monday, the Amur Shipyards in Komsomolsk-on-Amur held a keel-laying ceremony for two Project 22800 small missile ships named, the Rzhev and the Udomlya, the Pacific Fleet’s press service reported.

"These latest ships that carry Kalibr-NK cruise missiles will be built under a contract signed by the Defense Ministry for the construction of six Project 22800 ships for the Pacific Fleet. Four such small missile ships will be built at the Amur Shipbuilding Plant (part of the United Shipbuilding Corporation), and two more will be built at the Vostochnaya Verf in Vladivostok," the report says.

According to the press service, Deputy Fleet Commander for Armaments Rear Admiral Igor Korolyov represented the Pacific Fleet at the ceremony.

The ships that were laid down today are expected to join the fleet after 2020.

The Almaz central marine design bureau designed the Project 22800 small missile ship, which is 67 meters long, 11 meters wide and its draught is 4 meters. It has diesel-electric repulsion. Its maximal speed is 30 knots, its operational range is 2,500 miles and its sea endurance is 15 days.

The small missile ships are armed with 76-mm automatic multipurpose guns, the Pantsyr-M anti-aircraft missile and gun system and the Kalibr-NK cruise missile strike system.