Pyotr Veliky,battle cruiser, visits Syria

Pyotr Veliky,battle cruiser, visits Syria
A big delegation from the Syrian Arab Republic’s military headed by the country’s naval Commander-in-Chief Taleb al Barri visited the Russian Pyotr Veliky heavy nuclear-powered missile cruiser in the Syrian port of Tartus. During their visit, the Syrian naval high officials were accompanied by Sergei Kirpichenko, Russia’s ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary in Syria. Tartus is Syria’s second largest city after Latakia and was founded by the Phoenicians in the second century BC. During the Crusader era the port was a Christian stronghold in the eastern Mediterranean.Syria is one of the few countries that still have Russian military facilities. There is a materials support dockyard for the Russian navy that was constructed in Tartus during Soviet times – in 1988. The base has a small staff of Russian seamen to maintain the facility. Russian vessels can replenish water supplies and perishables as well as service minor problems in Tartus. If a ship needs larger repairs, the Russian Black Sea Fleet’s floating workshop can arrive at Tartus.The Pyotr Veliky heavy nuclear-powered missile cruiser, the flagship of Russia’s Northern Fleet, departed from Severomorsk on March 30 to take part in large-scale drills on the high seas along with other Russian vessels. The long-distance voyage will include visits to foreign ports and joint exercises with Russia’s military partners