Russian Navy makes ‘historic’ visit to Philippine Navy base

Photo from Philippine Fleet

MANILA, Philippines — The Russian Navy visited for the first time a Philippine Navy base in Cavite as part of its 5-day goodwill visit.

The Philippine Fleet said in a Facebook post that it rendered arrival honors to Rear Adm. Eduard Mikhailov, chief of staff the Russian Submarine Forces of the Pacific Fleet at its headquarters in Sangley Point on Thursday.

The Russian contingent also visited the headquarters of the Naval Special Operations Group located in the same naval base.

Participating troops from the Philippines and Russia also completed an obstacle course at the NAVSOG school to highlight the ties between the navies of the two countries.

The Russian Navy’s visit was “a first in the 80 years existence of the Philippine Fleet.”

Russia’s anti-submarine ship Admiral Panteleyev (DDG-548), guided-missile cruiser Varyag and sea tanker Boris Botuma docked at the South Harbor from Jan. 6 to 11, for the 5-day port call. It was the first batch of foreign navy ships to visit the Philippines this year.

On Tuesday, the Russian Navy hosted a reception attended by members of the diplomatic corps, defense and military officials, and other guests.

“We always appreciate our Philippines honorable guests and friends for their kind attention to events that we held in Manila,” the Russian Embassy in Manila said in a Facebook post.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, Navy chief Rear Adm. Robert Empedrad and Deputy Director General of National Security Council Vicente Agdamag were among the guests from the security sector.

The pivot to Russia, a non-traditional ally of the Philippines, is part of the so-called independent foreign policy of President Rodrigo Duterte.  /muf