KALININGRAD, May 13 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's newest frigate, the Yaroslav Mudry, has started state-commissioned sea trials in the Baltic Sea, a spokesman for the Yantar shipyard said on Wednesday.

The frigate is the second vessel in the 11540 Yastreb series after the Neustrashimy, which recently took part in an anti-piracy operation in the Gulf of Aden.

"After the trials, the ship will undergo a final inventory check, and will be handed over to the Russian Defense Ministry in mid-June," the official said.

Earlier reports said the frigate was due to enter service in April. The construction of the Yaroslav Mudry has taken almost 19 years, due to financing shortages.

The frigate has a displacement of 4,250 metric tons and a maximum speed of 30 knots. It is armed with anti-ship missiles, air defense systems, a 100-mm artillery mount, depth charges, and a Ka-27 helicopter.

The frigate suffered minor damage on May 4 during preliminary sea trials when a Ka-27 helicopter crash-landed on the deck and fell into the sea.

"The crash of the Baltic Fleet's Ka-27 helicopter, whose rotor blades damaged the ship's bulkhead, had practically no effect on the schedule of the state-commissioned trials and the deadline for the ship's handover [to the Defense Ministry]," the spokesman said.