Putin leads Russia’s Navy Day celebrations as country shows off its huge fleet

VLADIMIR Putin has today lead Russia's Navy Day celebrations as the country showed off its huge fleet. The President met with sailors on the national holiday, praising the Navy as Russian warships drove through national waters in a show of force. More than 40 warships and 4,000 sailors were involved in the impressive parade in Saint Petersburg, held to commemorate the fleet's three hundred year history.

Speaking at the parade, Putin praised the Navy for having the "highest level of combat readiness". He said: "The Russian fleet successfully resolves the tasks of the country's defense capability, makes a significant contribution to the fight against international terrorism, plays an important role in ensuring strategic parity. "For more than 300 years, the fleet has been defending the status of the Russian Federation as a naval power capable of protecting with determination its national interests."

The parade includes more than 4,000 mariners of the Baltic, Northern and Black Sea fleets and Caspian Flotilla, Sputnik News reported. During the parade, Putin was expected to be taken on the presidential boat, accompanied by Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu and Vladimir Korolev.