The Russian Navy’s Mediterranean task force has grown to 15 warships and vessels, Black Sea Fleet Spokesman Captain 1st Rank Vyacheslav Trukhachev said.

The news comes following a recent Russian cruise missile strike on Daesh targets in Syrian Palmyra from a Russian Navy’s submarine and a frigate in the Mediterranean.

The frigate Admiral Essen and submarine Krasnodar conducted the cruise missile strikes earlier this month (photo), according to the Russian Defense Ministry.

“In the Mediterranean Sea, about 15 warships and support vessels of the Black Sea Fleet perform tasks as part of the permanent division of the Navy,” Trukhachev said.

The Russian Black Sea Fleet conducted drills in the Mediterranean Sea with the missile strike on Daesh being also part of the training.

Earlier, the Russian navy deployed in the Med held head-on training battle and anti-sub drills.

Meanwhile, the Russian Navy will get a new generation communication vessel by the year end, the Russian Department of Defense said on Tuesday.

The Russian Navy will receive Ivan Khurs, the Project 18280 communication vessel, in November, Navy spokesman Capt. 1st Rank Igor Dygalo said.

“It is expected that the Project 18280 communication vessel Ivan Khurs that is currently on a final stage of fitting-out after being floated out at the ‘Severnaya verf’ shipbuilding plant, will enter service with the Navy in November 2017,” Dygalo said.

The spokesman added that the vessel would pass all the necessary tests by November.

Russia-developed Project 18280 ships are designed to provide communications, support radio-electronic warfare, and carry out intelligence-gathering activities. Ivan Khurs has a displacement of some 4,000 tonnes and a range of over 8,000 nautical miles.