Russia's Black Sea Fleet to Have 30 New Ships by 2020

A group of Russian Navy soldiers prepares to train their diving skills in front of a moored Tarantul-III class Missile Boat of the Black Sea Fleet at the Crimean city of Sevastopol, 01 April 2014. Photo by EPA/BGNES

The Russian Black Sea Fleet is to receive 30 new warships under a naval construction program by 2020, according to Admiral Viktor Chirkov, Commander-in-chief of the Russian Navy.

Russia's Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu earlier estimated that more than USD 2.3 B will be put aside for the renovation.

Chirkov denied the modernization plan was part of an "ungrounded buildup" of forces.

"These are the long-standing needs of the Russian Black Sea Fleet which has not seen renovation for years," as ITAR-TASS quoted him as telling journalists.

Changes to the fleet are scheduled for the upcoming months, as it is to introduce six submarines and six surface warships of new generation later on in 2014 and 2015.

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