The Caspian Sea Flotilla will remain an independent military unit after the restructuring of the Russian Armed Forces, a high-ranking Navy official said on Friday.
Earlier Russian media said that after reforming the Armed Forces, the Caspian Sea Flotilla may lose its independent status and would fall under the command of the Russian Black Fleet as a strategic unit.
"The Caspian Flotilla will remain a basic unit. There will not be any structural changes," the official said.
He added that in future the flotilla could fall under the Black Sea Fleet's subordination, though it will remain included in the Command South military district.
On July 14, President Dmitry Medvedev signed a decree establishing four unified strategic commands to be based in four new military districts.
Command West, with its headquarters in Moscow, will control all military personnel and hardware in the Western Military District. The new district will incorporate the former Moscow and Leningrad military districts and the Baltic and Northern Fleets.
RIA Novosti
