OREANDA-NEWS. November 27, 2008. Officers and men greeted Presidents Medvedev and Chavez. They inspected the vessel and its weaponry, and talked to the crew in the mess hall.

The “Admiral Chabanenko” joined the Northern Fleet of the Russian Navy in early 1999. It is visiting Venezuela along with a group of Russian warships, led by the “Pyotr Veliky” GM heavy nuclear cruiser, as part of the first Russian-Venezuelan naval exercise, starting December 1, 2008.

A pre-contractual agreement on two Russian IL-96-300 liners to be exported to Venezuela was signed in the presence of the two Presidents during the visit. Venezuela has never before purchased Russian-manufactured civil aircraft. The client will receive the liners in late 2009 – early 2010. Three IL-96-300 liners supplied to Cuba are making regular international flights.