Russian ship docks in Patras for twinning with Kaliningrad

A Russian sailing ship docked in the port city of Patras (Peloponnese) on a visit leading to a twinning between the Greek port city and that of Kaliningrad, the home of the Russian Baltic fleet. The "Kruzenshtern", which was constructed at Bremerhaven in 1926 for the German commercial fleet, will remain in Patras until April 2nd.

The ship was turned over to the Soviet Union in 1946 in compensation for World War II losses. According to reports, it is 115m long, 14m wide and 7m deep and its crew consists of 60 permanent staff as well as 115 officers in training from the University of Kaliningrad.

Officials signed the twinning agreement at a ceremony held at the Patras Port Authority on Tuesday, before a monument to the Greek-Russian friendship was unveiled. The crew members, on the other, paid a visit to the Greek Orthodox Church of Agios Andreas, where they were warmly welcomed by Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Patras and the supervising priest of the church, father Nikolaos Skiadaressis.