CARACAS, July 25. /TASS/. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro visited the Russian Navy’s training ship Perekop which took part in a naval parade to mark the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Lake Maracaibo, the Russian charge d’affaires in Venezuela, Eduard Sokolov, told TASS.
"President Maduro, accompanied by Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez together with the General Staff, the chiefs of all branches of the armed services and Caracas Mayor Carmen Melendez, visited our ship," said the Russian diplomat who took part in festive events on Lake Maracaibo.
At the solemn formation on the deck of the ship, the anthems of Russia and Venezuela were performed. Addressing the Russian cadets, Maduro emphasized that "Venezuela and Russia will always be together," according to Sokolov. "They made a tour of the ship. The [Venezuelan] president visited the classrooms and talked to the officers and cadets," the Russian diplomat said.
The Perekop with cadets of the St. Petersburg Naval Institute, the Admiral Nakhimov Higher Naval School and the Naval Polytechnic Institute on board traversed from Kronshtadt to Cuba and arrived at Lake Maracaibo to participate in the parade.