Igor Kudrik
1997-07-24 12:00

The Russian Navy to undergo severe
reductions:
The Pacific Fleet may be dissolved

In accordance with the new Russian military conception, the Pacific Fleet is to be dissolved, reports Vladivostok daily. This option was discussed at a meeting in the Ministry of Defence in the beginning of July.

The planned reduction will concern not only the Pacific Fleet, but the Russian Navy in general. According to the plans the navy will be manned with 100,000 men, including 60,000 split between the Northern and the Pacific Fleets, and 40,000 split
between the Baltic and Black Sea fleets and the Caspian Sea flotilla. This reduction
means a halving of the Navy’s current size.

Instead of today’s Pacific fleet, two Naval units are to be located at Kamchatka and
Primorsk. The Kamchatka unit will be strategic (the strategic subs of the Delta class will
be assigned to this base) and a direct subject to Moscow, while the Primorsk unit will be
subject to the Far East Military District Command.

Primorsk Naval base will maintain all the currently operative surface vessels and
submarines in servicable condition, while those vessels now being in reserve due to
needed repair works, are to be decommissioned. The decommission plans include the
nuclear powered surface communication vessel “Ural” (Kapusta class, equipped with
two PWR reactors) and nuclear powered battle cruiser “Admiral Lasarev” (Kirov class,
equipped with two PWR reactors).

All in all, some 20,000 officers are to be dismissed at the Pacific Fleet.

Reportedly, there are some 40 operative nuclear powered subs in the Pacific fleet, although the actual number may be less, while some 50 subs are pulled out of service awaiting their turn to be decommissioned. The reductions will increase the number of laid-up submarines, as several subs hitherto labeled “in reserve” while awaiting repairs, now will be officially taken out of service.