KBRN, Jakarta: Ambassador of the Russian Federation to the Republic of Indonesia Sergei Tolchenov said that the maritime history shared by Russia and Indonesia is one of the important things in strengthening bilateral relations.

Tolchenov said this at the opening of an exhibition of Russian naval maritime paintings titled “Marine Ships Must Be” at the Jakarta Maritime Museum on Monday, March 24, 2025.

“We are very proud of the heroic history of the Russian Navy. We cherish the memory of Russian commanders and sailors, as well as the history of cooperation between Russia and Indonesia in the maritime field,” he said as quoted by antaranews.com.

According to Tolchenov, Russia and Indonesia's commitment to advancing maritime cooperation has been proven since the Soviet Union gifted the Indonesian navy a fleet of warships. The Soviet Union gave the submarine KRI Pasopati in 1952 and now a museum in Surabaya, and the combat ship KRI Irian in 1962.

“These fleets became a strong symbol of Soviet-Indonesian military cooperation that further strengthened bilateral relations,” he said.

The cooperation is still realized today, such as through the Orruda Joint Exercise in Surabaya on November 4-8, 2024, which was attended by the Indonesian Navy and the Russian Navy. The exercise was the first joint exercise held by the navies of the two countries.

“The Russian Navy also participated in the Multilateral Maritime Exercise Komodo 2025 (MNEK) in Bali Waters some time ago. In the exercise, Russia became the second largest naval delegation after the host Navy,” he said.

With the long history of cooperation between the Indonesian and Russian navies, the Russian ambassador said he was proud to be able to showcase the glorious history of the Russian navy throughout hundreds of years through a painting exhibition in Jakarta.

“They are a reminder that our mutually beneficial relationship continues to develop dynamically in various fields, including maritime affairs,” he said.

The “Marine Ships Must Be” exhibition is held in the Sunda Kelapa Room of the Jakarta Maritime Museum and will run until April 16, 2025. This event is a cooperation with the Russian Embassy in Jakarta and the Museum of the World Ocean in Kaliningrad, Russia. ***