Russian Week in Corfu

A Russian frigate from the Black Sea Fleet is in port -
an annual goodwill visit to celebrate bilateral links and to commemorate Admiral Fyodor Ushakov (Admiral Ushakov, under whose command the Russian sailors freed the island of Corfu from foreign invaders in 1799).

Read more: https://sputniknews.com/russia/20160924/1045662861/russian-frigate-mediterranean-sea.html

"The Russian Frigate Admiral Grigorovich left the port of Sevastopol for Greece via the Mediterranean Sea, to commemorate Admiral Fyodor Ushakov as a part of the annual Russian week on the Ionian Islands".

The naval band was excellent, the singers outstanding (their resonant bass and baritone voices won many admirers).

Soft power - hard power


On Power (Euronews)

"The frigates, displacing 3,850 tonnes, are designed for anti-ship and anti-submarine warfare as well as for air defense missions, operating both independently or as part of convoys and naval task forces".

Από τη Ρωσία με αγάπη

The audience loved it, in spite of the propaganda element.

Video from enimerosi.com - Συναυλία της μπάντας του Ρωσικού Ναυτικού πραγματοποιήθηκε στην Πλακάδα του Αγίου Σπυρίδωνος.

More on the Russian Week from enimerosi.com

Above: the view from my Kefalomandouko window (for a few more days)-

"The newest frigate of the Russian Federation Black Sea Fleet,

 Admiral Grigorovich. from Sevastopol".

Below: a previous Black Sea Fleet visit

The Corfiots gave the Russians a warm welcome, with a display of traditional Corfiot filoxenia.
It was all strangely reminiscent of the visits by the US Navy's Sixth Fleet back in the 1960s.

Is Corfu becoming a strategic Mediterranean naval destination once again?

Music, song and dance building new bridges in difficult times

This year, it must be hard to decide who else to celebrate apart from Count Johann Matthias von der Schulenburg and Admiral Fyodor Ushakov.


Two contextual Mediterranean updates from RT

https://www.rt.com/news/361699-syria-russia-navy-missiles/

https://www.rt.com/news/361827-third-ship-syria-op/

From Foreign Policy -

Russian navy ups its game in the Med. "Moscow continues to ramp up its military footprint in and around Syria. Three missile corvettes from Russia’s Black Sea Fleet left their base in Sevastopol earlier this week and will join other Russian warships in the Mediterranean off the Syrian coast. All three ships — The Serpukhov, The Zelyony Dol, and The Mirazh, are equipped with Kalibr and Malakhit cruise missiles. The ships are expected to be joined next month by Moscow’s sole aircraft carrier, the Admiral Kuznetsov, as FP reported earlier this month".


General updates:

Russia and the West: Where did it all go wrong? Jonathan Marcus, BBC News

Russia accused of ‘posturing’ as its warships head for English Channel, The Independent

Royal Navy set to intercept Russian warship in English Channel as it heads to Mediterranean – media, RT

More from RT

Commentary: Why Putin is unleashing his only aircraft carrier, Reuters

NATO Diplomat Says Russia is Preparing Naval Fleet for Syria, MSN

They get around! Russian warships pass through English Channel, BBC News

Update, March 2017: EU Balkan Concerns, EU Observer

Update, Newsweek, September 2017 - RUSSIAN NAVY WARSHIP HEADS FOR GREEK VACATION HOTSPOT BEFORE JOINING SYRIA WAR