Russia to maintain task force in Mediterranean

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The Black Sea Fleet's task force group operating in eastern Mediterranean Sea off Syria comprises 15 vessels, including two frigates and a submarine, accompanied by various landing and auxiliary ships, the Russian Navy says.

The task force's strike assets are the navy's newest frigates 'Admiral Grigorovich' and 'Admiral Essen', as well as corvette 'Smetlivy' and submarine 'Krasnodar', a spokesman for the Black Sea Fleet said on Thursday.

Three large landing ships - 'Caesar Kunikov', 'Nikolay Filchenkov' and 'Azov' - as well as mine-sweepers, counter-insurgency craft and a tanker, are other auxiliary ships assigned to the Mediterranean task force, he added.

Sister ships 'Admiral Grigorovich' and 'Admiral Essen' are armed with Kalibr-NK anti-ship and coastal missiles, Shtil-1 missile...