SEVASTOPOL, March 24. /TASS/. The Black Sea Fleet’s PM-56 floating workshop is making a transit to the Mediterranean Sea to join the Russian Navy’s permanent taskforce in the region, the Fleet’s press office reported on Tuesday.

"In compliance with the scheduled rotation of forces, the Black Sea Fleet’s PM-56 floating workshop is making a transit from Sevastopol to the Mediterranean Sea to accomplish missions as part of the Navy’s permanent taskforce in that region. Currently, the repair vessel is passing through the Black Sea’s Bosporus and Dardanelles Straits," the press office said in a statement.

The floating workshop’s crew will provide maintenance for the Russian Navy’s ships and vessels accomplishing missions in the Mediterranean Sea. The repair ship will replace the Baltic Fleet’s PM-82 same-type vessel.

Russian Navy’s Mediterranean Squadron

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.

In 2013, Russia started to create a new operational Mediterranean taskforce. Russia’s new permanent Squadron is dealing with planned and urgent combat missions arising in the Mediterranean theater of operations, including warding off threats to Russia’s national and military security.