Cruiser Kirov in Leningrad harbour; detail of ships; submarines; VIP's inspect Aurora; torpedo boats; helicopters.




Initials DHC/O-TELE-TSS/MGT/OS



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Background: Warships of the Soviet Navy went on display today (Sunday) - at Vladivostock, at Sebastopol on the Black Sea and at Leningrad, on the Gulf of Finland. The occasion, Navy Davy, coincided with an announcement that the Soviet Navy had been turned into an offensive force capable of making long-range missile attacks.

The Navy Day celebrations were telecast over Soviet Television. In the display several submarines were shown cruising along the River Neva in Leningrad. The largest of the other ships shown was a cruiser, and most were destroyers, mine-layers and high-speed patrol boats.

The Soviet Navy has decided against aircraft carriers, although they are the mainstay of the United States navy.

Among the ships on show today was the Kirov, a pre-war cruiser, and the Aurora. The Chief of the Soviet Navy, Fleet Admiral Gorschov, inspected the crew of the Aurora as part of the celebrations.

Today the vice-commander of the Navy, Admiral Vladimir Kasatonov published an article in the newspaper Red Star, in which he said the Soviet Navy had been "turned completely into an offensive type of long-range defence force."
According to recent estimates Soviet Naval strength now includes 22 cruisers, about 150 destroyers and about 35 nuclear-powered submarines.