VLADIVOSTOK, July 14. /TASS/: The Russian Pacific Fleet’s support vessels that participated in far-reaching naval maneuvers in the Pacific have returned to their home naval base in Vladivostok, the Fleet’s press office reported on Wednesday.
"The Pacific Fleet’s logistics vessels that provided support for the operations of naval groups in the Asia-Pacific region for over two months have returned to Vladivostok after their lengthy deployment. The vessels also took part in an exercise with a group of warships in the distant maritime zone that was held in the central Pacific," the press office said in a statement.
"In particular, the tankers Irkut and Boris Butoma, the hydrographic survey vessel Marshal Gelovani, the hospital ship Irtysh and sea tugs have returned to their permanent base," the statement says.
Over the time of their deployment, the tankers conducted more than 25 operations to fill combat ships with fuel and water. The stocks were replenished while drifting and on the move in accordance with weather conditions, the press office informed.
The large sea tanker Boris Butoma made business calls at the ports of Vietnam and the Philippines. In the course of the deployment, the hydrographic survey vessel Marshal Gelovani carried out hydrometeorological and hydrographical work along about 15,000 linear kilometers, set up seven hydrographic stations and conducted almost 400 hydrometeorological weather observations, and implemented a research program in the central part of the Pacific Ocean, the press office specified.
On July 8, the Vladivostok naval base welcomed home seven Pacific Fleet warships that had participated in massive drills in the central Pacific.
The warships included the Fleet’s Guards Order of Nakhimov Missile Cruiser Flagship Varyag, the measuring ship Marshal Krylov, the frigate Marshal Shaposhnikov, the large anti-submarine warfare ship Admiral Panteleyev, the corvettes Gromky, Sovershenniy and Hero of the Russian Federation Aldar Tsydenzhapov.
