Updated 5:49 p.m. Moscow Time
MOSCOW, October 6 (RIA Novosti) — Russia's Black Sea Fleet will commission an Admiral Grigorovich-class frigate and two Varshavyanka-class diesel electric submarines by the end of 2014, Navy Commander-in-Chief, Adm. Viktor Chirkov, said Monday.
"The Black Sea Fleet will receive two out of six Varshavyanka-class boats by the end of the year…In addition, we are planning to raise the flag on the first out of six Project 1135.6 frigates by the same time," Chirkov said in an interview with RIA Novosti.
Crimea-based Black Sea Fleet is expected to commission all six frigates and six submarines by 2018, according to the Defense Ministry.
Chirkov said the new vessels would be able to undertake both solo and group missions. He added that the warships could be deployed in and outside the Black Sea, for instance as part of a large navy unit deployed permanently in the Mediterranean Sea. There are also plans to use them for anti-piracy patrols in the Gulf of Aden.
A further six support vessels are to be commissioned by the year’s end to enable the stable maintenance of the Navy’s new fleet of frigates and submarines.
