KALININKGRAD, September 20. /TASS/. The Russian Baltic Fleet’s training ship Smolny, currently making a long-range sea voyage, has arrived on an unofficial visit to the port of Malabo in Equatorial Guinea, the fleet’s press service said.
"During the stop, the crew will replenish water, fuel and food supplies and perform technical inspection of the ship. These procedures are important for keeping the Smolny’s ready to continue its voyage," the statement says.
The Baltic Fleet’s sailors and cadets will meet with military sailors from Equatorial Guinea to share experience and strengthen friendly ties between the two nations. Apart from that, they will go on sight-seeing to visit historical sites in the republic, the press service said.
The Smolny is making a long-range sea voyage in order to conduct maritime practice for cadets of naval educational institutions of Russia’s Ministry of Defense.
"For the ship’s crew, the visit to [Equatorial] Guinea was the sixth call at a foreign port during the visit. Starting from July 27, the Smolny paid unofficial visits to the ports of Havana in the Republic of Cuba, the port of La Guaira in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, the port of Cape Town in the South African Republic, the port of Walvis Bay in Namibia and the port of Luanda in the Republic of Angola," the fleet’s press service said.
The long-range sea voyage of the training ship is being held within the framework of maritime practice of cadets of naval educational institutions of Russia’s Ministry of Defense. Future naval officers are carrying out a training program. In particular, they are practicing communication and navigation skills. In all, more than 300 cadets are on board.