that Pyotr Velikiy would sail to the Caribbean Sea to participate in naval exercises with the Venezuelan Navy, along with the destroyer and other support ships. This action would represent the first major Russian show of force in the Caribbean since the end of the Cold War. On 22 September Pyotr Velikiy and Admiral Chabanenko left their homeport of Severomorsk. On 22 October 2008 Pyotr Velikiy made a port visit to Aksaz Karagac, Turkey and on 6–9 November the cruiser and Admiral Chabanenko made a port visit to Toulon, France, before departing the Mediterranean on 10 November, passing through the Strait of Gibraltar. Pyotr Velikiy arrived in La Guaira, Venezuela on 25 November 2008 coinciding with a visit by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev. A combined exercise, VENRUS-200, with the Venezuelan Navy took place on 1–2 December 2008. After finishing the exercises, Admiral Chabanenko made a short visit to Panama 5–10 December, then to Bluefields, Nicaragua from 13 to 15 December and sailed into Havana, Cuba on 19 December. Pyotr Velikiy continued alone to Cape Town, South Africa. On 11 January 2009, the chief of the Russian General Staff announced that Pyotr Velikiy and six other Russian warships would participate in a joint naval exercise with the Indian Navy later the same month. The Kirov-class cruiser paused for three days to visit Cape Town before continuing on to India. On 31 January Pyotr Velikiy left the port of Mormugao in the Indian state of Goa. After a two-day visit that included a naval exercise with the Indian guided-missile destroyer the cruiser left for African waters where the vessel joined other warships from the Russian navy and conduct the INDRA-2009 exercise. On 12 February, the ship captured ten pirates in three boats off the coast of Somalia. On 10 March, Pyotr Velikiy returned to its homeport of Severomorsk, ending a six-month deployment. 2010 On 30 March 2010 Pyotr Velikiy left the Northern Fleet for a new six-month deployment. During its six-month tour of duty, the warship passed through the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea before entering the Indian Ocean via the Suez Canal. In the Indian Ocean the cruiser conducted maneuvers with other Russian warships from the Black Sea Fleet. On 14 April the missile cruiser visited the Mediterranean port of Tartus in Syria. In September 2008, Russia was reported to be in talks with Syria about turning Tartus into a