MOSCOW (TASS): The Russian Navy’s latest frigate Admiral Kasatonov is returning to its home naval base of Severomorsk after its first deployment in distant waters, Russia’s Defense Ministry reported on Friday.
“Russian Navy Commander-in-Chief Admiral Nikolai Yevmenov will greet the frigate Admiral Kasatonov in the second half of the day after the warship completes the tasks of its long-distance deployment, which has been the first for the latest ship,” the press office said in a statement.
The Russian Navy chief will also sum up the results of the Northern Fleet’s multi-service force command and staff drills held from April 19 as part of the troops’ comprehensive combat readiness check, the statement says.
The frigate Admiral Kasatonov embarked on its first long-distance employment on December 30, 2020. For over three months, the warship operated in the Mediterranean Sea, visited the ports of Algeria, Greece, Egypt, Cyprus, Syria and Turkey and held a series of drills, including in interaction with the Russian Navy’s other ships and aviation.
The frigate Fleet Admiral Kasatonov is the second (the first serial-produced) Project 22350 warship built at the Severnaya Shipyard (part of Russia’s United Shipbuilding Corporation). The cutting-edge frigate was laid down in 2010 and floated out in 2014.
At the end of 2018, the latest frigate entered shipbuilders’ sea trials that ran in the area of responsibility of the Baltic and Northern Fleets. The Admiral Kasatonov entered service with the Russian Navy on July 21, 2020.
Project 22350 frigates are expected to become the Russian Navy’s most advanced warships in their class. These frigates displace 4,500 tonnes and can develop a speed of 29 knots. They are armed with Oniks and Kalibr cruise missiles and Poliment-Redut air defense missile systems.
