Russia will increase its Black Sea fleet with more than 80 new warships by 2020 and will complete a second naval base for the fleet near the city of Novorossiysk by 2016, its commander said on Tuesday. In comments made to President Vladimir Putin as he visited the port city, Vice Admiral Alexander Vitko said a second Black Sea base was needed in addition to the main base on the Crimea peninsula annexed from Ukraine because of Nato expansion. 'Eighty ships and other vessels are expected to arrive (in Novorossiysk) before 2020. The Black Sea Fleet will have 206 ships and vessels by 2020,' Vitko told Putin.
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Russia will increase its Black Sea fleet with more than 80 new warships
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The Fleet will boast 206 ships and vessels by 2020, a naval chief said
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Putin visited the port city of Novorossiysk amid tensions  with Nato
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It came as reports of fresh fighting around Donetsk emerged
'Our Black Sea allies have ports that we use from time to time but (there are) no plans to build a @placeholder base as suggested,' the official said.