Russian navy begins major combat training exercises

The Russian navy kicked off a major maneuver of its fleets in the Arctic and Pacific oceans, as well as the Baltic and Caspian seas, on Monday.

"The main purpose of the exercises is to check the actions of the military authorities of the navy at all levels, as well as the readiness of the crews of ships, units of naval aviation, and coastal troops of the Russian navy to perform tasks," the Russian Defense Ministry said.

Russia is considered to have the third most powerful navy in the world, after the United States and China.

What do we know about the exercises?

The Defense Ministry said some 20,000 sailors, 300 surface and submarine vessels and 50 aircraft would be involved in the combat training.

These units, from four of out Russia's five naval divisions, will practice techniques including the use of anti-aircraft missiles and anti-submarine weapons.

The fifth division, the Black Sea Fleet, will not partake in the maneuver because it is fighting in the ongoing war in Ukraine.

The Black Sea Fleet has struggled to adapt to modern drone warfare, having suffered considerable losses from Ukrainian missiles as well as aerial and naval drones.

The fleet withdrew from its main base in the port of Sevastopol on the annexed Crimean Peninsula earlier this year, and the Kremlin replaced the head of the navy in March due to a series of failures in the region.

zc/rc (Reuters, dpa, AFP)