Ladny, a Krivak-class guided missile frigate, is being accompanied by a tanker and a tugboat.
"On August 15, the Russian combat ship will join a NATO task force in the Mediterranean in the framework of the Active Endeavor operation," Capt. 1st Rank Igor Dygalo said.
NATO's Operation Active Endeavor was launched after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks in the United States. Under the operation, NATO ships and aircraft monitor and escort shipping across the Mediterranean to prevent terrorist activity.
Russia joined the operation in 2005 and also regularly participates in the Black Sea Harmony counterterrorist operations in the Black Sea.
Following the Operation Active Endeavor, Ladny will take part in IONIEX-2008 bilateral exercises with the Italian navy.
In 2007, Russian naval ships took part in nine joint exercises with foreign navies, including Blackseafor with the participation of Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine, Russia and Georgia, and Open Spirit 2007, involving Germany, the United Kingdom, Denmark, the Netherlands, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Belgium, France, Norway, Finland, Sweden, and Estonia.
