Peter the Great Warship

- Largest ship in the Russian fleetThe Associated Press: Venezuela's Chavez welcomes Russian warships (November 25, 2008)
- Of the Kirov ClassNavel Technology: Peter the Great
- Weight: 25,000 tons
- A Cold War era ship
- Five Kirovs were built by the Russian Navy

November 25, 2008: Led by Peter the Great, Russian warships arrived in Venezuela as a show of strength towards the United States. This action by Russia is reportedly to expand influence in Latin America and is in protest of America's decision to send warships to Georgia during that country's conflict with Russia.
In response to the exercise, U.S. State Department spokesman Sean McCormack remarked, "Are they accompanied by tugboats this time?" but also added that the U.S. will closely watch the situation.The Associated Press: Venezuela's Chavez welcomes Russian warships (November 25, 2008)
Built by the Baltic Shipyard in Saint Petersburg, Russia, Peter the Great is a Russian heavy missile cruise ship. The battlecruiser is only one of five ships of the same stature that was kept in service by Russia, and is a flagship of the country's navel fleet.
Russia and Venezuela Action

"It's not a provocation. It's an exchange between two free countries."—Hugo ChavezThe Associated Press: Venezuela's Chavez welcomes Russian warships (November 25, 2008)
"I don't think there's any question about ... who the region looks to in terms of political, economic, diplomatic and as well as military power. If the Venezuelans and the Russians want to have, you know, a military exercise, that's fine. But we'll obviously be watching it very closely."—Sean McCormackThe Associated Press: Venezuela's Chavez welcomes Russian warships (November 25, 2008)