VLADIVOSTOK, May 21 (RIA Novosti) - The crew of a Pacific Fleet submarine received state awards Sunday for accomplishing a state mission.
In the winter of 2006, the crew of the Varshavyanka diesel submarine based in Vladivostok in Russia's Far East was sent to St. Petersburg to test the country's first fourth-generation Lada-class diesel-electric submarine.
"The crew of the Varshavyanka submarine successfully held the trials of the new submarine. During the trials, the crew demonstrated excellent skills and courage in extreme conditions," the press office of the Pacific Fleet said.
After the trials, the new Lada-class submarine was put into operation in Russia's Baltic Fleet.
Mikhail Zakharenko, a deputy commander of the Pacific Fleet, gave state orders and medals to the Varshavyanka crew for their successfully accomplished mission.
The ceremony of giving state awards to the crew was held on the day marking the 275th anniversary of the establishment of Russia's Pacific Fleet.
The fleet in Russia's east was created to protect the country's Pacific frontiers. On May 21, 1731 the Russian Senate issued a decree establishing the Sea of Okhotsk military flotilla - the country's first permanent naval base in the Far East. The ships and vessels of the Okhotsk port laid the basis for the creation of naval forces in the country's east and eventually transformed into Russia's Pacific Fleet.
"Today Russia's Pacific Fleet has strategic underwater missile cruisers, multipurpose nuclear and diesel submarines, surface ships for operations in the coastal and open-sea zones. The Pacific Fleet also has maritime missile-carrying, antisubmarine and fighter aviation, land troops and coastal guards," the fleet's press office said.
