Russian cruiser Varyag (1983)
Varyag (then Chervona Ukraina) c. 1995 underway en route to the Pacific Ocean from the Black Sea
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History | |
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Russia | |
Name | Varyag ex-Chervona Ukraina |
Namesake | Viking or Varangians |
Builder | 61 Kommunara Shipbuilding Plant (SY 445), Nikolayev |
Laid down | 1979 |
Launched | July 1983 |
Commissioned | 16 October 1989 |
Status | in active service |
Notes | In service with Pacific Fleet |
General characteristics | |
Class and type | Slava-class cruiser |
Displacement | 11,490 tons |
Length | 186.4 m (611.5 ft) |
Beam | 20.8 m (68.2 ft) |
Draft | 8.4 m (27.6 ft) |
Propulsion | 4 COGOG gas turbines, 2 shafts 121,000 shp |
Speed | 32 knots (59 km/h; 37 mph) |
Range | 10,000 nautical miles (19,000 km; 12,000 mi) at 16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph) |
Complement | 480 |
Sensors and processing systems |
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Electronic warfare & decoys |
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Armament |
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Armor | Splinter plating |
Aircraft carried | 1 Ka-25 or Ka-27 Helicopter |
Russian cruiser Varyag (Varangian), (ex-Chervona Ukraina), is the third ship of the Slava-class of guided missile cruisers built for the Soviet Navy now serving the Russian Navy.
History
Laid down in 1979 at 61 Kommunara Shipbuilding Plant (Shipyard 445) in Nikolayev as Chervona Ukraina ("Red Ukraine"), the vessel was launched in July 1983, and commissioned 16 October 1989. The warship joined the Pacific Fleet in 1990 and was listed as having only a caretaker crew up to 2002.[1]
The cruiser re-entered service with the Pacific Fleet in early 2008 after an overhaul.
In 2009 Varyag led a fleet of foreign warships participating in a parade to mark the -60th anniversary of China's Navy.[2]
In June 2010, Varyag, under the command of Captain Eduard Moskalenko and with the Commander Northern Fleet Combined Forces Rear-Admiral Vladimir L. Kasatonov embarked, made a port call to San Francisco. The visit, the first by a Russian navy surface combatant in 147 years, featured a plaque dedication ceremony to commemorate six Russian Imperial Navy sailors who died fighting a fire in San Francisco in 1863.[3] This visit also coincided with President Medvedev visiting Silicon Valley and he once again visited Varyag as he had in Singapore in 2009.
On 19 November 2010, during a 4-day informal visit to South Korea, 24-year-old Lieutenant Ivan Yegorov reportedly committed suicide by hanging himself. According to Roman Martov, head of Russian Navy Pacific Fleet Press Service, the reason of suicide was a conflict between the lieutenant and his wife. The crewman's brother doubts that it was suicide, and told reporters that his brother had phoned him several hours before the death: "His voice was high-spirited and he boasted of gifts which he was going to bring his family". There was a police report filed, but no evidence of foul play was found.[4][5]
From 8 to 11 November 2011 Varyag, accompanied by the tanker Irkut, made a port visit to Vancouver, British Columbia, to commemorate servicemen killed in armed conflicts. Varyag was escorted into Vancouver by the Royal Canadian Navy destroyer HMCS Algonquin, and Varyag's crew engaged in friendly sports matches with their Canadian counterparts from Algonquin.[6][7][8]
In November 2014, Varyag led a deployment of four Russian naval vessels to international waters off Australia.[9][10] The deployment was believed to be linked to the 2014 G-20 Brisbane summit and growing tensions between the two nations.[9][11]
In early January 2016, Varyag was reported to have entered the Mediterranean Sea through the Suez Canal to be deployed off Syria′s shore replacing sister ship Moskva,[12] in support of Russia's air operation in Syria that had begun in autumn 2015. The ship was named flagship of the Russian naval task force positioned in the eastern Mediterranean.[13][14]
See also
- Chervona Ukraina for another ship named for Red Ukraine.
Gallery
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Dmitry Medvedev meeting with sailors.
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Dmitry Medvedev visiting ship's museum aboard the cruiser Varyag.
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Varyag in Vladivostok, 2010.
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2010 San Francisco visit
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Visiting Vancouver, Canada in November 2011.
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Close view of the AK-130 dual purpose guns on the bow with Vancouver's north shore in the background.
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Close view of the S-300PMU Favorit SAM tubes on the mid deck, Vancouver.
References
- ^ "Project 1164 Atlant Krasina/Slava class Guided Missile Cruiser". GlobalSecurity.org. 3 June 2014. Retrieved 6 October 2014.
- ^ "Russian cruiser to lead foreign ships in China naval parade". RIAN News Service. 22 April 2009. Retrieved 6 October 2014.
- ^ Nolte, Carl (22 June 2010). "Russian warship makes rare S.F. appearance". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 22 June 2010.
- ^ Dead crewman was found in cruiser Varyag, PrimaMedia, 25 November 2010, retrieved 6 October 2014
- ^ "An Officer of Varyag Cruiser Committed Suicide". Vzglyad. 25 November 2010.
{{cite news}}
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(help) - ^ PF Flagship Guard Missile Cruiser Varyag Arrives at Port of Vancouver, Canada, NavalToday.com, 11 November 2011, retrieved 6 October 2014
- ^ "Russian warships visit Vancouver". The Voice of Russia. 9 November 2011.
{{cite news}}
:|access-date=
requires|url=
(help) - ^ "Russian missile cruiser visits Canada". RIA Novosti. 9 November 2011. Retrieved 10 November 2011.
- ^ a b Nicholson, Brendan; Martin, Sarah; Markson, Sharri (13 November 2014). "Troubled waters as Russians send warships". The Australian Business Review. Retrieved 13 November 2014.
- ^ "Third Australian warship sent to halt Russian flotilla bound for G20 in Brisbane". news.com.au. news.com.au & APP. 14 November 2014. Retrieved 14 November 2014.
- ^ "Stephen Harper at G20 tells Vladimir Putin to 'get out of Ukraine' : Annual summit dominated by Western anger towards Putin". CBC News. cbc.ca. 2014-11-15. Retrieved 2014-11-16.
- ^ Крейсер "Варяг" вышел в Средиземное море, где сменит у берегов Сирии крейсер "Москва" TASS, 3 Jan 2016.
- ^ Isachenkov, Vladimir (21 January 2016). "Russia displays naval might off Syria's Mediterranean coast". Daily Mail. Associated Press. Retrieved 22 February 2016.
- ^ "Russian warships make Soviet-era display of might off coast of Syria". The Guardian. Retrieved 22 January 2016.