The Russian military has begun a naval exercise in the Baltic Sea involving 40 vessels, 25 fighter jets, and over 3,500 soldiers, the press service of the Russian Baltic Fleet said on Monday.
“The manoeuvre will include training of maritime communications, defence tasks, and fleet bases,” the press release says. The naval exercise is scheduled to last until June 15.
Since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine more than 15 months ago, Moscow’s forces have conducted naval exercises in the Baltic Sea several times to rehearse for a possible state of war.
There have been repeated incidents between Russian and NATO aircraft in the Baltic Sea area recently. Both sides accuse each other of violating each other’s airspace.
Besides the Baltic Fleet, Russia’s Pacific Fleet also began a large-scale exercise on Monday.
According to the Pacific Fleet Press Service, as many as 60 ships, 35 fighter jets and helicopters, and more than 11,000 soldiers are participating in the drills in the Sea of Japan and the Sea of Okhotsk on the other side of the country.
(dpa/NAN)