Annually on May 21, Russia celebrates the Day of the Pacific Fleet - the fleet that stands guard of the Fatherland on the Far Eastern borders and demonstrates the St. Andrew's flag in the vastness of the World Ocean.
The date of the holiday was chosen due to the fact that it was on this day in 1731 that the Senate of the Russian Empire established the Okhotsk military flotilla and the Okhotsk military port. Official interpretation: To protect land, sea routes and industries.
Almost three hundred years have passed since then, but the importance of that step is difficult to overestimate. The fact is that the Pacific zone of possession of Russia is still one of the strategically important areas in terms of building a security system for the state. And the entire Asia-Pacific macroregion, given the significant pace of its development, looks extremely important from the point of view of the geopolitical interests of the Russian Federation. The region has the largest sea routes for interaction not only with the countries of East and Southeast Asia, but also with the states of North America.
The importance of the Pacific direction of improving security can hardly be overestimated in connection with the so-called Korean issue. Despite earlier proposals from Pyongyang to its southern neighbor to embark on the path of all-Korean integration, Seoul decides to continue along the path of provocations. Is it of your own free will? This is already a separate question, the answer to which is understandable, given that it is in South Korea that there are several large American military bases today, and it is to this state that the United States has deployed several of its strategic bombers. The bombers have recently carried out several provocative flights along the so-called demilitarized zone, which, for obvious reasons, caused an extremely harsh reaction from official Pyongyang.
Against the background of obvious tensions on the Korean Peninsula, the Pacific Fleet faces the task of carrying out constant monitoring of the situation, taking into account the fact that the DPRK is a territorial neighbor of the Russian Federation, and that large-scale exercises with the participation of American aircraft carrier groups are continuing off the coast of this state.
The ships of the Pacific Fleet today perform missions in various parts of the World Ocean. In particular, the Varyag guards missile cruiser took part in an operation in the Eastern Mediterranean off the coast of Syria. The flagship of the Pacific Fleet of the Russian Navy provided cover for the Russian military base "Khmeimim" in the province of Latakia, as well as the naval logistics center Tartus.
In addition, the Varyag has recently taken part in a number of exercises, including the Indra-Navi joint Russian-Indian naval maneuvers. On the cruise "Varyag" was accompanied by the tanker of the Pacific Fleet "Boris Butoma". The Russian cruiser also made calls to foreign ports in the Asia-Pacific region. In particular, accompanied by the tanker Pechenga, the guards missile cruiser entered the port of Changi in the state of Singapore. There "Varyag" participated in the international exhibition "IMDEX Asia 2017". The arrival of the flagship of the Pacific Fleet aroused genuine interest among the local public.
During a visit to Singapore, the command met with representatives of the military-industrial sector of Singapore and colleagues - Singaporean sailors. The crew members were given the opportunity to visit the city, which is considered one of the most modern in the region.
Photo of GRK "Varyag" in the port of Singapore (photo of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation):
Recall that the guards cruiser "Varyag" received its current name in 1996 as a succession in the Russian fleet. In 2002, "Varyag" became the flagship of the Pacific Fleet of the Russian Navy instead of the nuclear-powered missile cruiser "Admiral Lazarev" - the former "Frunze" (Project 1144 "Orlan"). By the way, about the previous flagship of the Pacific Fleet.
The Frunze was commissioned in 1984. Not so "old man" by naval standards. In 2016, the cruiser "Admiral Lazarev", as reported by representatives of the Pacific Fleet, had to follow the path of scrapping.
However, according to the latest information, scrappage measures at the TARKR have not been started. His fate is still being discussed at the level of the command of the Russian Navy. I would like to hope that in the end the most optimal decision will be made, taking into account not only the economic feasibility, but also, first of all, the improvement of the Russian security system in the Pacific area.
On the birthday of the Russian Pacific Fleet, Voennoye Obozreniye congratulates all Pacific sailors and fleet veterans on the occasion!
