MOSCOW, September 19. /TASS/. The communications center of the Russian Navy's Main Command ensures reliable liaison with ships, submarines and aircraft, said Admiral Vladimir Kasatonov, chief of the Navy's Main Staff.

He made the comment at a ceremony of handing over a battle flag to the unit, and was quoted by a statement from the Russian Defense Ministry.

"At the current stage of the Navy's development, the communication center effectively completes the mission of protecting the national interests of the Russian Federation, providing reliable communication with surface ships, submarines and aircraft of the Navy," he said.

The Defense Ministry said that, in accordance with the rules of the ceremony, after the battle flag was handed over to the commander of the communications center, Captain 1st Rank Igor Pilipenko, the Russian president's letter of commendation to the battle flag was read out. At the end of the ceremony, liaison officers marched on the cobblestone-paved area of the Peter and Paul Fortress.

The ministry said the history of the communication center of the Main Naval Command as the communication center of the Main Naval Staff goes back to the pre-war years. It started off after a directive of the Main Directorate of the People's Commissariat of the Navy of September 19, 1940 Number 265241. During the war with Nazi Germany and imperial Japan, the communications center had a glorious combat path, constantly providing reliable communication between the Main Naval Staff and fleets, flotillas, individual naval brigades and garrisons, as well as ships and military units.

In the post-war years, the activities of the communications center were inextricably linked to the provision of stable communications for long-distance campaigns of ships and submarines and naval aviation in various points of the World Ocean. Thanks to the selfless work of all servicemen the communication center of the Navy Main Command is today the leading unit among all communication units of the Navy.

Over 40 servicemen of the communication center of the Navy Main Command participated in the performance of combat tasks in the zone of the special military operation. All of them have been recognized with high state and departmental awards of the Russian Defense Ministry.