The Baltic Fleet's Neustrashimy (Fearless) and Yaroslav Mudry frigates will return on Tuesday to the fleet's main base in Baltiisk after completing their missions, a defense ministry spokesman has said.
"Neustrashimy provided safe navigation in the Gulf of Aden, while Yaroslav Mudry successfully completed its task to escort the Pyotr Veliky Northern Fleet cruiser from the North Sea to the Mediterranean," the spokesman said.
The Neustrashimy frigate from Russia's Baltic Fleet has escorted about 20 commercial vessels since its arrival in the Gulf of Aden in January and thwarted at least one attack by Somali pirates.
The frigate was the first Russian warship to join international anti-piracy efforts off Somalia in October 2008.
The current Russian task force in the Gulf of Aden comprises the Udaloy class missile destroyer Marshal Shaposhnikov, the MB-37 salvage tug and the Pechenga tanker of the Russian Pacific Fleet. The task force arrived in the area on March 29.
Yaroslav Mudry, officially presented to the navy last June, is Russia's newest frigate. Its construction has taken almost 19 years due to a lack of financing.
MOSCOW, April 20 (RIA Novosti)
