The Kruzenshtern, the world's second largest sail ship still in operation, returns Monday to St. Petersburg after a 14-month journey round the world that started on June 24, 2005. The journey was dedicated to the 60th anniversary of victory in the World War II and the 200th anniversary of Russian sailor Ivan Kruzenshtern's circumnavigation.
"Today we are witnesses to a genuinely momentous event," Putin said. "Our legendary windjammer, The Kruzenshtern, returns to St. Petersburg from a circumnavigation. I sincerely congratulate the crew with the successful completion of this difficult but brilliant and undeniably memorable journey."
The ship, originally called The Padua, was built for German navigation schools and launched in 1926. After WWII, it was handed over to the Soviet Union, where it was renamed The Kruzenshtern in February 1946.
It was used as a training vessel for the Russian Agriculture Ministry in the late 1960s.
"Your circumnavigation was dedicated to the 60th anniversary of Victory Day," Putin said. "I am glad that the photo exhibition on board The Kruzenshtern provoked great interest and a struck a great chord [with visitors]. It allowed many foreign guests to see the real history of World War II and to feel the inimitable spirit of that heroic epoch."
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov also thanked the crew of the vessel, who called at ports as far apart as Newcastle in the United Kingdom, Cape Town in South Africa and Acapulco in Mexico.
He also expressed his gratitude to Russian Agriculture Minister Alexei Gordeyev, who is also the chairman of the circumnavigation organization committee, and Oleg Sedov, the captain of the vessel.
