Russian Missile Corvettes Ready to Enter Service in Caspian*

MOSCOW, January 13 (RIA Novosti) – A pair of new missile corvettes have completed acceptance trials and will enter service in Russia’s Caspian Flotilla in the first quarter of this year, the Southern Military District said Monday.
The two ships, the Grad Sviyazhsk and Uglich, are the first in the new Buyan-M class and are equipped with anti-ship and anti-aircraft missiles.
The vessels began sea trials in August and completed four test launches of the Kalibr-NK missile, which can engage surface, underwater and coastal targets.
The five countries bordering the Caspian Sea – Russia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan and Iran – all maintain a naval presence in the sea.

 * Notícia publicada a RIA Novosti. Malgrat que sembla que la tensió amb l'Iran pot haver baixat, Moscou nou perd l'oportunitat d'assegurar la seva posició a la Mar Càspia.