PF naval sq leaves for Gulf of Aden to fight piracy

VLADIVOSTOK, February 24 (Itar-Tass) - A naval squadron of Russia's
Pacific Fleet (PF) set out from here on Wednesday, heading for the Gulf of
Aden to fight sea piracy.
The squadron, which is under the command of Captain, First Rank Ildar
Akhmetov, comprises the large anti-submarine ship Marshal Shaposhnikov, a
sea rescue tugboat, and the tanker Pechenga. Each ship has Marine units on
board while the ASW one carries two helicopters Ka-32.
Upon arriving at the Gulf of Aden, the Russian ships will begin to
pilot convoys of merchant ships of various countries across the waters
that are dangerous for frequent piratical attacks.
The crews of deck helicopters will carry out reconnaissance, spotting
pirates' speedboats and tracking all their movements while Marines will be
ready to repulse any attack by armed bandits.
This is the first squadron of the PF to patrol the Gulf of Aden and a
fourth one since the beginning of an international operation near the
shores of the Horn of Africa.
Last year, patrol duty was drawn in the dangerous waters by the large
anti-submarine ships Admiral Vinogradov, Admiral Panteleyev, and Admiral
Tributs, the tankers Pechenga, Izhora, Irkut, and Boris Butoma, and rescue
tugboats. They successfully escorted about 200 merchant ships from 26
countries, thwarting more than 20 attempts made by pirates to attack
peaceful ships.
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