MOSCOW, July 16. /TASS/. The Russian Navy has held the first daytime rehearsal of the Main Naval Parade in the Kronshtadt roadstead, Navy Spokesman, Captain 1st Rank Igor Dygalo told reporters on Tuesday.
The Main Naval Parade will take place on July 28 when Russia celebrates Navy Day.
"Over 10 combat ships of various classes, including the large anti-submarine warfare ship Severomorsk, the large amphibious assault ship Minsk, the corvettes Stoiky and Steregushchiy, the diesel-electric submarine Vladikavkaz, the small missile ship Liven and the patrol ship Vasily Bykov took part in the first daytime rehearsal of the Main Naval Parade in Kronshtadt," the spokesman said.
During the rehearsal, the warships practiced the elements of moving at a pre-set speed along a designated course. The crews checked the systems of organizing communications and transferring commands during maneuvering, and also the warships’ engineering compartments.
During the rehearsal, the naval command "checked the knowledge of the warships’ watch officers and navigation personnel of the navigational specifics of sailing in the Kronshtadt roadstead, the spokesman said.
The warships earlier arrived in the Gulf of Finland for their participation in the Main Naval Parade.
Rehearsal of naval parade’s airborne part in St. Petersburg
Russian military pilots held the rehearsal of the airborne part of the country’s Main Naval Parade, the press office of the Western Military District reported on Tuesday.
"Today, a fly-over of the naval aviation’s parade formation was held in the airspace of St. Petersburg as part of the preparations for the Main Naval Parade. The fly-over of the aviation’s parade group over the central part of St. Petersburg near Senate Square was conducted in a single formation involving tactical groups of various classes of aircraft in compliance with the assigned missions," the press office said in a statement.
The air parade’s rehearsal involved more than 40 aircraft and helicopters from aviation units of Russia’s Aerospace Force, the Baltic, Northern, Black Sea and Pacific Fleets: Su-24, Su-25, Su-30SM,Su-33 and MiG-29K planes, an A-50 airborne long-range radar surveillance platform, an Il-78 aerial refueling tanker, Be-200, Tu-142 and Il-38 aircraft and also Mi-8, Ka-27M, Ka-28 and Ka-29 helicopters.
The crews of combat planes and helicopters took off from four operational airfields of the Western Military District based on the territory of St. Petersburg, the Leningrad and Vologda Regions and the Republic of Karelia.
Over 40 warships to take part in the parade
Russia’s Main Naval Parade in St. Petersburg and Kronshtadt on July 28 will involve 43 warships, 41 aircraft and more than 4,000 personnel, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said at the ministry’s conference call on Tuesday.
"It [the parade] will take place in St. Petersburg and Kronshtadt on July 28, on Navy Day, It will involve 43 combat ships and 41 aircraft furnished with the latest armament. More than 4,000 servicemen and Young Army Movement members will be involved," the defense chief said.
Naval parades will also take place at the main naval bases of the Russian Fleets and the Caspian Flotilla in Severomorsk, Baltyisk, Sevastopol, Vladivostok and Astrakhan, and also in the Syrian port of Tartus, Shoigu said.
"Overall, more than 150 combat ships of various classes, about 80 planes and over 15,000 personnel are set to take part [in naval parades]," the defense minister said.
An increasing number of foreign guests attend Russia’s naval parades with each passing year, Shoigu said.
This time, 26 foreign delegations will attend the naval celebrations. China, India, Vietnam and the Philippines will send their combat ships to Russia’s naval parades, the defense chief said.
The military orchestras of Thailand and Vietnam will also take part in Russia’s naval celebrations. They will perform together with the consolidated orchestra of the Russian Navy.