Russia's Caspian Flotilla ships will reconstruct fragment of Battle of Stalingrad

VOLGOGRAD, April 27. /TASS/. A squadron of the Caspian Flotilla ships that arrived in Volgograd from Astrakhan, will on May 9 make a historical reconstruction of a fragment of the Battle of Stalingrad.

The flotilla ships arrived from Astrakhan on Monday to take part in the events to mark the 70th anniversary of the World War II Victory, the Volgograd River Port told TASS. "The small artillery ship Makhachkala has moored in the port, and five more ships are on their way," a port representative said.

The press service of the Southern Military District reported previously that Caspian sailors would for the first time participate in large-scale celebrations of the Victory Day in the Hero-City Volgograd. "This honourable mission is entrusted to the crews of the Makhachkala small artillery ship, the RT-234 harbour minesweeper, two river gunship of Project 1204 "Shmel," a landing boat of Project 1176 and RB-39 harbour tug of Project 705B."

The flotilla ship squadron departed from Astrakhan on April 24. The navy men sailed 270 nautical miles (500 km) up the Volga River. During the time before the Victory Day events the sailors will conduct unit cohesion training.

The Volgograd city administration said that on May 9 from 14:00 pm to 16:00 pm, Moscow time, the Caspian Flotilla ships will be engaged in the historical reconstruction of the landing of the 13th Guards Rifle Division on the right bank of the Volga River during the Battle of Stalingrad. The ships’ crews will use during the reconstruction simulated ammunition explosions and blank gunfire. After that the ships will be open to the public.

The Caspian Flotilla, the oldest among Russian naval groups, was formed by the decree of Peter the Great in 1722. The agreement on patronage relations between Volgograd and the Caspian Flotilla (Astrakhan city) was signed in 2001.