The 8th Operational Squadron grew quite substantial at times ; in 1980 , a Soviet flotilla of ' about ten guided missile cruisers , destroyers and frigates and more than a dozen support ships ' was juxtaposed to the U.S. Navy 's Task Force 70 in the region . There were also 23 other Soviet ships in the South China Sea , at the same time . In addition , Soviet Ilyushin Il-38 reconnaissance planes , based in Aden or Ethiopia , maintained a close watch on U.S. vessels , as did Ka-25 Hormone helicopters from Soviet warships . In 1981 the fleet suffered the loss of many of its senior officers , including its commander in chief , Admiral Emil Spiridonov , when the Tupolev Tu-104 transporting them back to Vladivostok after meetings in Leningrad crashed shortly after takeoff from Pushkin Airport . A total of 16 admirals and generals , and 38 lower ranking officers , were killed
crashed shortly after takeoff
1981 Pushkin Tu-104 crash
Pacific Fleet (Russia)