Makhachkala artillery ship to be attached to Caspian fleet at the end of 2012

A small artillery ship "Makhachkala" of the 21630th project will become
part of the Caspian fleet by the end of 2012, the chief of the press service of
the Southern Military District, Colonel Igor Gorbul said today, ITAR-TASS
reports.

At the moment, the crew is getting used to the ship. Expert manufacturers
of the shipbuilding company "Almaz" (St. Petersburg) are teaching sailors
to operate and maintain the "Makhachkala" system.

The artillery ship "Makhachkala" was designed by the Zelenodolsk Design
Bureau. Due to low draft and high manoeuvrability, the "Makhachkala" is able to
solve a wide range of problems in the coastal zone of the Caspian Sea, as
well as in rivers and estuaries.