Russian naval task force to be deployed in Mediterranean

A permanent task force of the Russian Navy will be deployed in the Mediterranean Sea in 2015, a military source told Interfax-AVN on Monday.
"The formation of a naval task force by 2015 is under consideration; ships of the Black Sea Fleet will be its backbone and the Soviet Navy Mediterranean squadron will be its prototype. The force will accomplish scheduled and urgent missions on the Mediterranean theater of operations, including deterrence of threats to Russian national and military security coming from that sector," the source said.
Naval operations in the Mediterranean Sea by the unified scenario were successfully practiced in the exercises held in that area in January, he said.

Implementation of the Defense Ministry's plan requires modernization of ships of the Black Sea Fleet and equipment of the prospective task force within the next two or three years, the source admitted.