Chinese Destroyer Xi’an to Make Unofficial Visit to Russia

By
Dorian Archus
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160728-N-SI773-2089 PACIFIC OCEAN (July 28, 2016) Chinese Navy guided-missile destroyer Xian (153) steams in close formation as one of 40 ships and submarines representing 13 international partner nations during Rim of the Pacific 2016. Twenty-six nations, more than 40 ships and submarines, more than 200 aircraft, and 25,000 personnel are participating in RIMPAC from June 30 to Aug. 4, in and around the Hawaiian Islands and Southern California. The world's largest international maritime exercise, RIMPAC provides a unique training opportunity that helps participants foster and sustain the cooperative relationships that are critical to ensuring the safety of sea lanes and security on the world's oceans. RIMPAC 2016 is the 25th exercise in the series that began in 1971. (U.S. Navy Combat Camera photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Ace Rheaume/Released)

Chinese Navy guided missile destroyer Xi’an will arrive in the Russian second-largest city of St. Petersburg on July 24, the Russian Western Military District’s press service said on Saturday.

“The guided missile destroyer Xi’an of the Navy of Chinese People’s Liberation Army will arrive in St. Petersburg on an unofficial visit on July 24,” the statement says.

A welcome ceremony will be conducted by attendance of representatives of the Western Military District’s command and the Leningrad Naval Base. The Chinese sailors will visit the legendary Avrora cruiser and will lay flowers at the Piskarevsky Memorial to commemorate the people of Leningrad (former name of St. Petersburg) who died during World War Two.

The missile guided destroyer Xi’an entered into service in 2015. The ship carries an anti-aircraft missile system, a vertical missile launcher and highly integrated combat systems. She can accommodate 250 crewmembers. The ship’s displacement is 6,600 tonnes.