Translation. Region: Russian Federal
Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
The official ceremony of transferring the research vessel Professor Gagarinsky to the joint Russian-Vietnamese Tropical and Technological Center.
On May 11, a ceremonial handover of the research vessel Professor Gagarinsky to the joint Russian-Vietnamese Tropical and Technological Center took place in Vladivostok. On May 12, Russian scientists and a Vietnamese crew will set off on their first joint voyage, during which marine research will be conducted along the route from Vladivostok to Haiphong.
Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation, Co-Chairman of the Russian-Vietnamese Intergovernmental Commission Dmitry Chernyshenko sent a welcoming address to the event participants. He recalled that 2025 marks 75 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, and quoted Russian President Vladimir Putin, who emphasized that relations between Russia and Vietnam continue to “develop progressively in the spirit of equality, mutual respect and consideration of each other’s interests.”
“Bilateral cooperation has been established in various areas, including science and technology. A Memorandum has been signed on the implementation of the project to create a Nuclear Science and Technology Center in Vietnam. The Hanoi branch of the Pushkin Russian Language Institute will be actively developed. We will also continue to equip the joint Russian-Vietnamese Tropical Center. The transfer of this modern vessel will allow us to conduct joint research in the waters of Vietnam and study current problems of the marine environment,” the Deputy Prime Minister of Russia noted.
The ceremony to hand over the vessel was attended by Deputy Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation Konstantin Mogilevsky, Deputy Minister of National Defense of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam Hoang Xuan Tien, members of the Bureau of the Intergovernmental Coordination Committee of the Tropical Center, representatives of the scientific and maritime communities of Vladivostok and descendants of Corresponding Member of the USSR Academy of Sciences Yuri Vladimirovich Gagarinsky, after whom the vessel was named.
“Many natural processes that are significant for humanity are particularly pronounced in the tropical zone. It is important for us that Russian scientists have the opportunity to work there on a permanent basis. And our joint Russian-Vietnamese Tropical Center, which received the vessel today, gives scientific teams from our countries the opportunity to work in these places. In this way, we open up new opportunities for our scientists,” said Konstantin Mogilevsky.
The decision to transfer the research vessel to the Tropical Center was made in January 2025 – an intergovernmental agreement between the Russian Ministry of Education and Science and the Vietnamese Ministry of Defense was signed in Hanoi in the presence of Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin and Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Tinh. The Tropical Center plans to expand comprehensive marine environmental research in Vietnam’s territorial waters and develop a corresponding scientific program for the coming year.
The R/V Professor Gagarinsky is equipped with geophysical and hydrographic laboratories, a workshop for repairing pneumatic sources, and rooms for office processing and electric compressors. Given the size of the vessel, researchers can carry out work on it both in the open sea and in the coastal zone.
“The transfer of the vessel is a symbol of traditional friendship and comprehensive strategic partnership between Vietnam and Russia. In just 10 days, “Professor Gagarinsky” will arrive in the port of Haiphong. And scientists from the Tropical Center will have the opportunity to conduct research in remote waters of the sea of Vietnam. We undertake to use the vessel as efficiently as possible and achieve new scientific results,” said Deputy Minister of National Defense of Vietnam Hoang Xuan Tien.
As a gesture of friendship, the Vietnamese side decided to leave the name of Yuri Vladimirovich Gagarinsky, a Soviet chemist and corresponding member of the USSR Academy of Sciences, on the ship transferred by Russia.
Recall that the day before, Russian President Vladimir Putin held talks with General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam To Lam. The parties outlined ways to further advance the comprehensive strategic partnership in various areas, including scientific and technological cooperation.
During the meeting, a ceremony of exchanging signed documents between Russia and Vietnam took place. Among them are agreements concluded during a working meeting between Valery Falkov and the Minister of Science and Technology of Vietnam Nguyen Manh Hung.
Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.