SEVASTOPOL - The command of the Smetlivy destroyer of the Russian Black Sea Fleet has received orders to continue its combat mission off the coast of Syria as the situation required it, Interfax-AVN was told at the fleet's headquarters.
"The Smetlivy was due to return to Sevastopol on May 15. However, its commander Captain 2nd rank Viktor Skokov received instructions from the General Staff to continue performing combat tasks in the eastern part of the Mediterranean off the coast of Syria. This was required by the operational situation," a fleet spokesman said.
He said that at the end of May the destroyer was supposed to give over the watch to the flagship of the fleet, the guided missile cruiser Moskva.
Quoting navy intelligence, the officer said that the United States, France, Great Britain, Germany and several other countries have significantly built up their naval presence in the Eastern Mediterranean.
The officer said that the reconnaissance ship Kildin is performing a combat mission in port Tartus, Syria, that hosts a Russian navy support facility, the medium sea tanker Iman and the floating warship PM-138.
The Smetlivy left Sevastopol on April 1 and arrived in Tartus on April 4 to replenish its stocks of water, food and fuel.
The destroyer joined the fleet in 1969. It has a displacement of 4460 tonnes and is armed with X-35 Uran anti-ship missiles, AK-726 artillery system, Volna air defense system (16 missiles), 1×5 533-mm torpedo launcher (5 torpedoes) and two RBU-1000 rocket-assisted bomb launcher.
