Russian Nuclear Cruiser Departs on Atlantic Mission

The flagship of Russia’s Northern Fleet, the nuclear-powered missile cruiser Pyotr Veliky, set off Tuesday from a naval base in northern Russia for the Atlantic on a regular tour of duty, a fleet spokesman said.

The tour will last for several months and will involve patrol and training missions in the northeast Atlantic and other regions as part of Russia’s plan to restore its naval presence in strategically important areas, Capt. 1st Rank Vadim Serga said.

The cruiser recently returned from a mission in the Arctic, where it took part in exercises around the Novosibirsk Islands, which are located between the Laptev Sea and the East Siberian Sea.

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