in 2008 the "admiral chabanenko" became the first russian warship to sail through the panama canal since world war ii, while participating in joint exercises with the venezuelan navy. in late 2009 she and the black sea fleet's rescue tug "shakhter" deployed off the horn of africa, as part of the anti-piracy measures off the somali coast. both vessels then sailed to norfolk naval base to participate in frukus 2011, a series of joint exercises between the russian, french, british and us navies, held between 23 and 30 june 2011.