Article Posted on : - Jun 01, 2010

Russian warship the 'Kaliningrad'

KALININGRAD (BNS): Russia's amphibious assault landing ship, the Kaliningrad, will take part in the BALTOPS-2010 naval exercises to be held from June 7-18 in the Baltic Sea.

Russia's Baltic Fleet spokesman Tuesday said, the Kaliningrad will carry out a range of training tasks, including joint maneuvering in a large ship formation, patrol missions and a simulated assault landing.

A report by RIA Novosti said, the vessel is currently heading to the port of Gdansk in Poland, where several dozen warships from 14 NATO countries will team up for the upcoming exercises.

The Kaliningrad entered service with the Baltic Fleet in December 1984, and has carried out training missions in the Baltic, North and Mediterranean seas, as well as more than 10 times in the Atlantic Ocean.

Kaliningrad class ships are capable of carrying up to 500 tons of cargo, 13 tanks and more than 200 naval infantry. The warship has represented Russia at the Baltic Operations (BALTOPS) drills five times since 2003, the report said.

BALTOPS exercise aims to enhance maritime safety and security in the Baltic Sea through increased interoperability and cooperation among regional allies. The exercise has been held annually since 1994 within the framework of the NATO Partnership for Peace Program.