Russian Navy’s Varyag Task Force Returns Home After Seven-MonthDeployment
TOKYO, August 24, 2024– The Russian Navy’s Pacific Fleet task force, led by the guided missile cruiser Varyag (舷号 011), has returned toits home port in Vladivostok after a seven-month deployment that saw it traverse the globe and participate in several international exercises. The task force, which alsoincluded the multi-purpose frigate Admiral Shaposhnikov (舷号 543), passed through the First Island Chain on August 20, according to the Japanese Ministry of Defense.
The two ships were first spotted bythe Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) on January 22, when they departed Vladivostok. They subsequently passed through the Tsugaru Strait and entered the Pacific Ocean on January 23 and 24,respectively. The task force, which also included a Dubna-class fleet oiler, transited the Strait of Malacca and entered the Indian Ocean on February 14.
The Varyag and Admiral Shaposhnikov made their first port call in Visakhapatnam, India, onFebruary 19, where they participated in the Milan-2024 multinational naval exercise. The task force then visited Sri Lanka and Qatar before arriving in Iran on March 11.
From March 11 to 15, the Varyag and Admiral Shaposhnikovparticipated in the Security Belt-2024 trilateral naval exercise with China and Iran. The Chinese contingent included the Type 052D destroyer Urumqi (舷号 118), the Type 054A frigate Linyi (舷号 547), and the Type 903A replenishment ship Dongpinghu (舷号 960).
After transiting the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and visiting the Eritrean port of Massawa, the Russian task force entered the Mediterranean Sea through the Suez Canal in early April.The Varyag and Admiral Shaposhnikov made port calls in Alexandria, Egypt, and Tobruk, Libya, in June.
On July 17, the task force left the Mediterranean Sea after 107 days and entered the Red Sea through the Suez Canal. After a port call inOman, the Varyag and Admiral Shaposhnikov visited Kochi, India, from August 7 to 9. This marked the second time the task force visited India during its deployment.
The task force transited the Strait of Malacca and entered the South China Sea on August 13.After a seven-month deployment spanning 212 days, the Varyag and Admiral Shaposhnikov are expected to return to their home port in Vladivostok in the coming days after passing through the Tsugaru Strait.
The Varyag and the Pacific Fleet have conducted several long-range deployments in recent years. In July and August 2023, the Russian Pacific Fleet conducted its third joint strategic patrol with the Chinese Navy. The Russian task force was led by the Varyag and included the Type 1155 frigates Admiral Tributs and Admiral Panteleyev, the Type 20380 corvette Aldar Tsydenzhapov, the Type 20385 corvette Grom, and the fleet oiler Pechanga. The Chinese contingent included the Type 052D destroyers Guiyang and Qiqihar, the Type 054A frigates Tongling and Rizhao, and the Type 903A replenishment ship Taihu. The two navies sailed for over 6,400 nautical miles in three weeks, reaching as far as the Aleutian Islands in theNorth Pacific.
At the end of 2021, the Varyag and Admiral Tributs deployed to the Mediterranean Sea and confronted a US Navy carrier strike group in early 2022. The task force remained in the Mediterranean Sea throughout the early stages of the Russia-Ukraine conflictand returned to Russia in November 2022 after a deployment lasting over 10 months.
The Russian Navy’s deployment of the Varyag task force highlights its growing global presence and its willingness to engage in international exercises and operations. The task force’s long-range deployment also demonstrates Russia’s ability to project power across the globe, particularly in regions of strategic importance like the Indian Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea.
【来源】https://news.ifeng.com/c/8cEfCrbajcD
Views: 1