MEMORY EXPEDITION TO TOUR BLACK SEA HERO CITIES, BOW TO FALLEN WWII SAILORS

MOSCOW, April 25 (RIA Novosti) - An expedition dedicated to the 60th V-E Day anniversary will tour littoral Hero Cities in Russia and Ukraine under the motto, "Bow to Great Victory ships." It will follow along the Black Sea coast, May 5 into 8, to commemorate Soviet Black Sea Fleet sailors who laid their life in World War II, reports the Crimea Bridge public movement, based in the Moscow Region.

Scuba divers on the expedition will erect memorial crosses blessed by the Moscow Patriarchate at the remains of Soviet warships and submarines on the Black Sea bottom, and lay wreaths to them. Commemorative liturgies will be served on the deck of the divers' ship, and the heroes will be saluted by artillery salvos.

The specially equipped ship, chartered for the purpose, will go from Novorossiisk to Kerch and on to Feodosia, with Sevastopol for destination point. WWII veterans will attend commemoration ceremonies all along the route.

The expedition means to highlight historical closeness of the Russian and Ukrainian nations, who both made tremendous sacrifices and share bereavement.

Starting the expedition, May 5, will be a public rally at the maritime terminal of the Hero City Novorossiisk. Spokesmen of the veteran affairs committee of the State Duma, the Russian parliament's lower house, and of war veteran organizations will attend the event.

Crowning the expedition, May 8, will be a gala concert at Sevastopol's Summer Theatre.