The Russian Northern Fleet’s missile cruiser Marshal Ustinov has made a business call at the port of Algiers, the Fleet’s press office reported earlier this week.
“The visit by the Northern Fleet’s sailors will last several days, during which Russia’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the republic Igor Belyaev will come aboard the ship. Also, excursions to the cruiser will be organized for the families of the embassy’s staff and representatives of the Algerian Navy,” the press office said in a statement.
Chief-of-Staff of the Northern Fleet’s division of Guided Missile Ships Captain 1st Rank Andrei Saloshin and Missile Cruiser Commander Captain 1st Rank Vladimir Kuzmin will hold meetings with the Command of the Algerian Navy.
During its business call, the crew will replenish foods supplies, the press office said.
The guided missile cruiser Marshal Ustinov entered the Mediterranean Sea on August 22. The warship departed the Northern Fleet’s main naval base of Severomorsk on July 3 to take part in Russia’s Main Naval Parade in St. Petersburg on July 28. After the parade, the missile cruiser’s crew took part in the Russian Navy’s large-scale exercise Ocean Shield 2019. After it left its home base, the missile cruiser has covered a distance of about 9,000 nautical miles.
Guided missile cruisers of this type are designated to fight a potential enemy’s surface ships and provide for the combat survivability of the Navy’s forces in distant waters. The development of these missile cruisers started back in the first half of the 1970s. Overall, four warships of this type were built. Three of them are operational in the Russian Navy.
The guided missile cruisers of this Project displace 11,500 tonnes and are 186 meters long. They can develop a full sea speed of 32 knots and deploy to a range of 7,500 miles at a speed of 18 knots. Guided missile cruisers of this project feature 130mm AK-130 artillery guns, striking and surface-to-air missile systems, 30mm AK-630M small-caliber air defense artillery complexes and torpedo armament. The guided missile cruisers can carry a Ka-27 helicopter or its modification on their deck. They have a crew of up to 510 men.
