Russia Holds Joint Exercises Of Northern And Black Sea Fleets

Russia’s President Vladimir Putin, who is also Supreme Commander in Chief of the Russian Armed Forces, observed from aboard the guided missile cruiser Marshal Ustinov the joint exercises involving the Northern and Black Sea fleets, underway in the Black Sea, the Kremlin said.

Various missiles were fired during the exercises, including Kalibr cruise missiles and the Kinzhal (Dagger) hypersonic air-launched ballistic missile.

The Black Sea fleet contributed its frigates Admiral Grigorovich and Admiral Makarov, guided missile ships and speed-boats Orekhovo-Zuyevo, Naberezhniye Chelny and Ivanovets, amphibious warfare ships Tsezar Kunikov and Azov, patrol ships Dmitry Rogachev and Vasily Bykov, the submarine Kolpino, small anti-submarine warfare (ASW) ships and sea-going minesweepers. The Northern fleet contributed the guided missile cruiser Marshal Ustinov that accommodated an improvised headquarters, and the ASW ship Vice Admiral Kulakov.

Two Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-31K fighter planes taking part in a simulated air strike launched a Kinzhal missile that hit its target at a testing site. The crews of the frigate Admiral Grigorovich, the small guided missile ship Orekhovo-Zuyevo and the submarine Kolpino launched Kalibr missiles from the surface and while submerged. The crews of the guided-missile speed-boats Ivanovets and Naberezhniye Chelny launched Moskit anti-ship missiles. The crews of the Black Sea fleet’s Utyos coastal missile system launched two missiles against simulated enemy warships.

The exercises also involved the crews of Sukhoi Su-30 SM multirole fighters, Su-24M tactical bombers and Tupolev Tu-95 strategic bombers.