Russian warships to visit Venezuela on November 24-30

Russian warships to visit Venezuela on November 24-30 (NSI News Source Info) MOSCOW/CARACAS - November 7, 2008: A task force from Russia's Northern Fleet led by the Pyotr Veliky missile cruiser will visit Venezuela on November 24-30, a spokesman for the Venezuelan Defense Ministry announced Friday. "A group of Russian warships will visit Caracas on November 24-30, when the first joint naval exercises are due to take place," the spokesman said. The Northern Fleet task force also includes the large anti-submarine warfare ship Admiral Chabanenko. The Russian ships are currently in the Mediterranean. Another Northern Fleet task force, led by the missile cruiser Admiral Kuznetsov, will conduct joint exercises with Black Sea Fleet warships in the Mediterranean in December. Capt. 1st Rank Igor Dygalo, an aide to the Russian Navy commander, said earlier that the Pyotr Veliky had called at a French naval base for the first time on Wednesday. He said the ship dropped anchor off Toulon on Wednesday morning, and would remain until Saturday.