Russia has launched large-scale naval military exercises involving over 150 ships and 15,000 military personnel. The exercises will take place in the Pacific and Arctic Oceans, as well as in the Baltic and Caspian Seas.
This was reported by the Russian Ministry of Defense.
According to the ministry, the so-called "July Storm" exercises, which will last from July 23 to 27, will test the fleet’s readiness for unconventional operations, the use of long-range weapons, and other advanced technologies, including unmanned systems.
“At sea, ship crews will practice deployment to combat zones, anti-submarine defense, defense of base areas, and logistical activities,” the ministry said.
The exercises will also address “repelling attacks by air assault means, unmanned boats, and enemy unmanned aerial vehicles, ensuring maritime safety, and striking enemy facilities and naval groups.”
More than 120 aircraft and 10 coastal missile systems will participate in the exercises, the ministry added. The exercises will be commanded by Navy Commander-in-Chief Admiral Alexander Moiseyev.
According to most public rankings, Russia has the third most powerful navy in the world after China and the United States. At the same time, Russia’s only aircraft carrier, the "Admiral Kuznetsov," has been under repair since 2018 and is reportedly planned to be scrapped.
The Russian Navy has suffered a series of significant losses in the Black Sea. In particular, Ukraine sank the flagship of the Black Sea Fleet, the cruiser Moskva, as well as about a quarter of the fleet’s ships.
The Black Sea Fleet was forced to retreat from occupied Sevastopol eastward — to Novorossiysk and further to occupied Abkhazia.
According to British intelligence, Russia’s naval capabilities in the Black Sea are significantly limited due to highly effective Ukrainian operations. However, the ships remain capable of launching long-range missile strikes.
