 Between 1990 and 1991 he served in the Mediterranean Sea with the 5th Operational Squadron and in July 1991 graduated from the and was appointed senior assistant commander of the "Sovremenny"-class destroyer .In May 1993 he made a port visit to the United Kingdom aboard the "Gremyashchy" and from April 1994 was the senior assistant to the commander of the destroyer , becoming her commander in December 1994.He entered the Naval Academy in September 1997, graduating with honours in June 1999, and was appointed head of the department of mobilization at the Northern Fleet headquarters.