Russia's Baltic, Black Sea Fleets Commemorate Kursk Submarine Disaster Victims

Russia's Baltic and Black Sea Fleets held commemorative events devoted to the sinking of the Kursk nuclear submarine.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Russia's Baltic and Black Sea Fleets held on Saturday commemorative events devoted to the dramatic sinking of the Kursk nuclear submarine, the fleets' spokesmen said.

"Today, the Baltic Fleet held commemorative events dedicated to the 17th anniversary since the nuclear-powered Kursk submarine disaster. On ships and bases, flags were lowered, rallies held in the commemoration of the submariners, the personnel of the Fleet observed a minute of silence in memory of the deceased sailors," the Baltic Fleet spokesman, Capt. 1st Rank Roman Martov, said.

Martov added that memorial stones were erected to honor the memory of the Kursk sailors at the N.G. Kuznetsov Naval Academy branch of Kaliningrad.

Commemorative events were also held in the city of Sevastopol that included a meeting-requiem near the Kursk sailors’ monument at the Communards cemetery, the Black Sea Fleet spokesman Capt. 1st Rank Vyacheslav Trukhachev said.

On August 12, 2000, Russia’s K-141 Kursk nuclear-powered submarine sank in the Barents Sea during an exercise. All 118 crew members died in the disaster.