Russian Warships Equipped With Kalibr Missiles Join Black Sea Fleet

The ‘Zelyoniy Dol’ and ‘Serpukhov’ warships, equipped with the versatile ‘Kalibr-NK’ missile system, have joined the Russian Black Sea Fleet, based in Sevastopol, commander of the Black Sea Fleet Alexander Vitko said.

On Saturday, St. Andrew's flag, a sign of the Russian Federation’s Navy, were sanctified and raised on the new ships. The solemn ceremony was attended by commanders of the Black Sea Fleet led by Admiral Vitko, as well as the head of the Republic of Crimea Sergey Aksenov.

“The ships were put on combat duty today. Previously, the ships were only tactical, but now they will include operational tasks. Their combat capabilities were seen by the whole world in the Caspian Sea and now they have appeared in the Black Sea Fleet,” Vitko said.

Vitko thanked the creators of the ships, the labor collective of the Zelenodolsk plant, noting that the fleet is expected to supply a few more combat units.

The ‘Green Dol’ and ‘Serpukhov’ small-missile carriers are the fourth and fifth ships of the modernized series of ‘Buyan-M’, built as part of the Navy's shipbuilding program at the Zelenodolsk plant named after AM Gorky.

They have increased displacement and are equipped with the latest ‘Kalibr-NK’ long-range missile system.