Russia to strengthen Black Sea fleet

Moscow, May 6 (IANS) Russia plans to allocate more than 86 billion rubles ($2.4 billion) to strengthen its Black Sea fleet by 2020, Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said Tuesday.

"New air defence and marine units will be formed at our fleet bases this year. New submarines will be supplied to the Black Sea fleet this year alongside next-generation surface ships," Shoigu said.

He said the fleet's development programme needed adjustment after the recent incorporation of Crimea and Sevastopol into Russia, Xinhua reported.

The previous version for development of the Sevastopol-based fleet was made in 2008.

So far, 48 facilities have already entered into service in three locations in the southern Krasnodar region, which are also bases of the fleet, Shoigu said.