Russian warship continues African tour (PHOTOS)

Local and Russian officials have held talks on maritime cooperation at the port of Pointe-Noire, Congo

A Russian naval training ship has arrived in the Republic of the Congo as part of a regional tour, the Russian Embassy in the African country reported on Tuesday.

The ‘Smolny’, part of Russia’s Baltic Fleet, docked at the port of Pointe-Noire on Monday, where it was welcomed with military honors. The ship carries around 400 personnel, including 200 naval cadets undergoing training.

According to the Russian Embassy, the crew was greeted by local officials including the Prefect of Pointe‑Noire, Commander of the First Military Region, and deputy military attaché at the Russian Embassy in Angola and regional representative in the Congo. Talks reportedly focused on expanding bilateral naval cooperation.

The visit also included a musical performance with Russian officers “warmly welcomed” by their Congolese counterparts, the embassy said.

Earlier this month the ‘Smolny’, which is on a months-long training voyage, visited Equatorial Guinea for the second time.

The ship also made an official visit to São Tomé and Príncipe on July 23, where guided tours were held for members of the Armed Forces, National Police, students, and local Russian compatriots. Visitors explored the ship’s navigation systems, weaponry, and training facilities, and spoke with the crew and cadets, according to the embassy.

This year’s itinerary includes additional port calls in South Africa, Tanzania, and Vietnam, before the vessel returns to Vladivostok in late September. The voyage follows the ‘Smolny’s’ 2024 port calls to several African countries, including Cameroon, Benin, the Republic of the Congo, South Africa, Namibia, and Angola.

READ MORE: Russian training warship arrives in African state

Last June, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Moscow and Brazzaville would continue close military and military-technical cooperation. In 2019, the Russian and Congolese defense ministries signed a contract to send Russian military specialists to the Congo to train and assist their counterparts in the operation, maintenance, and repair of previously supplied military equipment and special assets.