Vitali Taks, reviewer of Morskiye Vesti Last Sunday of July has traditionally been celebrated as Navy Day in St. Petersburg. For many citizens this day is the brightest recollection of childhood. For some people it is the starting point of life journey. Seamen and their families, citizens and guests of St. Petersburg saw mega-events at the Neva-river and in the city. According to a new tradition which is getting firm with every year, the celebrations started at Petrovskaya embankment. St. Petersburg Governor Valentina Matvienko and the Head of the Navy Vladimir Visotski, representatives of the city administration and veterans laid flowers at the monument to seamen and founders of Russian fleet. Then the Head of the Navy adopted a report of the Head of Leningrad Naval Base Anatoli Lipinski at the Aurora battleship. It is a traditional start of a parade. The guests and participants of the celebration boarded the admiral’s barge and proceeded along the Neva. The parade the parade was reviewed by the Head of the Navy Vladimir Visotski and run by the Head of the Baltic Fleet Vladimir Mardusin. The line of ships consisted of the new frigate Neustrashimy, diesel submarine, small-size missile ship, training ship Smolny and new corvette Steregushchi. It should be noted this celebration is especially beautiful due to military precision of its rituals. Polished throughout decades they reflect the fleet history, firmness and heroism of all persons who devoted their lives to Motherland and gave them in case of historical necessity. Vitali Ivanov First Deputy to the Chairman of St. Petersburg Maritime Board. Any political issues, international issues are not of great significance without Navy support. Military assistance, both land-based and especially naval is required as, frankly speaking, even in time of peace Navy is on combat duty along the shores of a potential enemy. This year the parade was arranged on a large scale which was noted by guests, participants and organizers. Besides the ships of Leningrad Naval Base the parade involved the Baltic Fleet but the veterans say they have a base for comparison. Ekaterina Danilova, correspondent of Morskiye Vesti Holidays are not usually a time to speak about problems but Navy men are concerned about future even on their professional holiday. What is the main thing to worry about? Fleet renewal and construction of new ships. Nowadays the situation is not easy. It resolution requires time though we are pressed for time today. Fleet, shipbuilding and education fell into oblivion in 1990-es which made a considerable breach requiring fast patching. Of course, there are orders and new tankers are launched but it is just a small part of what should be done to support the image of a maritime power. Vyacheslav Popov Chairman of the National Policy Commission, the Federation Council. It is necessary to promptly, and I emphasize: “promptly” change the schedules and plans for construction of ocean-going surface vessels and general-purpose naval forces as we have not been building ships for this zone for fifteen years already. It may cause serious consequences for us after 2015 as the existing ships are to be inactivated due to their age and we are to be left without ships. Adequate understanding of the problems and the willingness to solve them is a specific feature of navy men. Under their belts they have wealth of heroic experience. It is a pity to loose our former power and we just do not have a right for that. Vitali Ivanov First Deputy to the Chairman of St. Petersburg Maritime Board. I’d like to wish laying down more battle ships to enlarge our fleet with new surface warships and modern submarines. Upon completion of the parade the beach of the Peter-and-Paul Fortress became a venue of a concert officially opened by the Head of the Navy and the Governor of St. Petersburg Valentina Matvienko Governor of St. Petersburg Russian Navy is a pride and glory of our Motherland. It inscribed numerous glorious pages into the history of our country. We understand quite well that Russian power could not exist without powerful fleet. St. Petersburg and the fleet is the creation of Peter the First. Peter knew St. Petersburg is to become Russia’s naval capital. Entry to the Baltic Sea was a bold and courageous step of the Russian tsar. It ensured a different status of Russia in the world and made it possible for us to move on. By the force of his will and eagerness Peter I built the fleet as he clearly saw the task to protect and win. Our city is the bastion of Russianfleet. The fleet history had different pages with each war considered as the last one and each battle as a defining point. There was Tsushima and there was Navarin … During the Great Patriotic War the fleet was in charge of different tasks: subsurface and surface ships performed their combat mission. In commemoration of their deeds a battle reconstruction was arranged at the beach of the Peter and Paul Fortress – naval infantry of the Red Army versus fascists. St. Petersburg citizens love this holiday and the Government intends to reinforce the traditions of ion from year to year. Valentina Matvienko Governor of St. Petersburg There was a pause last years when Navy Day was modestly celebrated. We referred to the Ministry of Defense and jointly with the Head of the Navy we decided to revive this good tradition and to celebrate this holiday properly. Citizens welcome and love this holiday because the Navy and seamen is a part of St. Petersburg, a part of our soul. I’m very grateful for revival of this holiday and I’m sure it will develop with years. The words said by the Head of the Navy and the Governor were confirmed by thousands of people gathered along St. Petersburg embankments. The weather did not disappoint. The citizens and the guests could enjoy beautiful and severe view of battleships, gracious sailing ships and endless blue sky. Father Aleksei Head of Chesmenskaya Church We all love fleet, we all dream about seas and oceans from our childhood so Navy Day is like a maritime Easter. Celebrations lasted throughout the day. There was a concert atthe point of Vasilyevski island. Lots of people decided to board sancta sanctorum of Navy – battleships. The celebration was the essence of the day and we hope the Navy is to revive soon.
