On February 20, 2012, Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu visited the main naval base of the Russian Black Sea Fleet in Sevastopol, where he met with his Ukrainian colleague Pavel Lebedev. The two ministers laid wreaths at the Eternal Flame of the memorial commemorating the WWII defenders of Sevastopol, and later, discussed a number of issues.
Sergei Shoigu also went on board the missile cruiser Moskva to present government awards to commissioned and non-commissioned officers and sergeant-majors for their commendable performance during naval exercises in the Mediterranean in late January 2013. The Russian Minister inspected the cruiser’s weapons and heard a report by Black Sea Fleet Commander Vice Admiral Alexander Fedotenkov.
He also visited the St Vladimir Cathedral in Sevastopol, the renovation of which the Russian Defence Ministry is financing. Later Sergei Shoigu visited a residential neighbourhood in the Kazachya Bay, where housing for military personnel is being built.
The Russian Defence Minister also visited the 810th Separate Marine Brigade and inspected the armaments of the Black Sea Fleet’s marines.