VLADIVISTOK, July 31 (RIA Novosti) - A group of ships from the Pacific Fleet will depart on a tour of duty in the Indian Ocean in October 2005 and visit a number of countries, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov told a news conference here. "In October, Pacific fleet ships will conduct a tour of duty in the Indian Ocean and call port in six or seven countries in the Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean regions," he said. According to Ivanov, the Pacific Fleet has increased its combat training and has conducted a lot more exercises recently. Aside from the upcoming tour of duty in the Indian Ocean, ships of the Pacific Fleet will participate in large Russian-Chinese military maneuvers in August 2005. Sergei Ivanov attended a sea parade in the Amur Bay on Sunday in Vladivostok dedicated to the Russian Navy Day.
Several hundred people were involved in a performance at an aquatics station of the Pacific Fleet.
Thousands of guests were able to get acquainted with the capabilities of the military equipment deployed by the fleet and saw the Russian Marines exhibiting their combat skills.
