warfare aircraft. Activity Background Between December 2007–February 2008, the Russian Navy made the first large deployment to the Mediterranean Sea in 15 years. The task force included Northern Fleet's aircraft carrier , destroyers and and Black Sea Fleet's cruiser . Vice-Admiral Nikolai Maksimov, the Northern Fleet commander, said during the operations that "After this visit to the Mediterranean and France, the first in 15 years, we will establish a constant presence in the region". In 2013, the Russian naval presence in the Mediterranean Sea was formed by Black Sea Fleet's cruiser Moskva (5 July–12 July) and Northern Fleet's destroyers (4 June–17 July) and (January–June). 2013 In September 2013, the permanent task force was formed. It was temporarily strengthened by Moskva (11 September–18 November), Northern Fleet's heavy cruiser (2 November–8 May 2014) and Pacific Fleet's cruiser Varyag (2 November–unknown) and destroyer (2 November–November). 2014 In 2014, the task force was temporarily strengthened by Black Sea Fleet's cruiser Moskva (6 September–18 January 2015), Northern Fleet's aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov (10 January–8 May), heavy cruiser Pyotr Velikiy (2 November 2013–8 May 2014), destroyers Admiral Levchenko (10 January–30 June), Vice-Admiral Kulakov (28 April–December) and Severomorsk (28 November–10 April 2015) and Baltic Fleet's frigate (August–16 February 2015). 2015 In 2015, the task force was temporarily strengthened by Black Sea Fleet's cruiser Moskva (6 September 2014–18 January, 1 June–18 August and 25 September–9 January 2016) and Northern Fleet's destroyers Severomorsk (28 November 2014–10 April 2015) and Vice-Admiral Kulakov (November–25 March 2016) and Baltic Fleet's frigate Yaroslav Mudry (August 2014–16 February 2015). 2016 In 2016, the task force was temporarily strengthened by Black Sea Fleet's cruiser Moskva (25 September 2015–9 January 2016), Pacific Fleet's cruiser Varyag (3 January 2016–spring), Baltic Fleet's frigate Yaroslav Mudry (11 June–9 October) and Northern Fleet's aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov, heavy cruiser Pyotr Velikiy (both 26 October–20 January 2017) and destroyers Severomorsk (26 October–24 May 2017) and Vice-Admiral Kulakov (November 2015–25 March 2016 and 26 October–6 December). The mainstay of the task force were Black Sea Fleet's frigates (5 May–10 June), Pytlivy (25 May–1 July and 6 August–28 November) and Admiral Grigorovich (May–9 June and 24 September–6 October) as well as destroyer (7 March–9 June and 25 October–5 March 2017). Between October 2016–January 2017 Russian Navy intervened in the Syrian Civil War during the Battle of Aleppo deploying a carrier strike group of the Northern Fleet's aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov, which included heavy