- For the first time in post-Soviet era is Russia deploying warships in the inner waterways east of Finland in a strategic exercise
- The Russian leader wished the participants of the exercise “success in accomplishing the assigned tasks”
Russia must be prepared to repel any potential military aggression from any direction, Russian President Vladimir Putin said, addressing the participants of the Ocean-2024 command exercise.
“Russia must be ready for any developments. Our armed forces must provide reliable protection of Russia’s sovereignty and national interests, repel any military aggression in all directions, including in the ocean and maritime zone,” the president emphasized. He added that “the Navy plays a key role in solving this task.”
Putin wished the participants of the exercise “success in accomplishing the assigned tasks.” “Good luck!” the president encouraged them.
“The exercise will become one of the main events of operational and combat training of the Russian armed Forces in 2024,” says Commander-in-Chief of the Navy, Admiral Aleksandr Moiseev.
Over 400 warships, submarines, and support vessels from the auxiliary fleet, more than 120 aircraft and helicopters from naval aviation and the Aerospace Forces, approximately 7,000 units of military and special equipment, and over 90,000 personnel are taking part in the Ocean-2024 exercises. These maneuvers are being conducted across the waters of the Pacific and Arctic Oceans, as well as the Mediterranean, Caspian, and Baltic Seas.
The main objectives of the Ocean-2024 exercise are to assess the readiness of the Russian Navy’s senior command to manage diverse battlegroups, tackle unconventional operational tasks, and employ advanced, high-precision weaponry and military equipment. Another key goal is to enhance cooperation with the naval forces of partner nations in carrying out joint missions at sea.
The exercise involves various Navy formations and associations, with Admiral Moiseyev leading the drill. According to the Russian Defense Ministry, these maneuvers will be one of the key operational and combat training events for the Russian Armed Forces this year.
The exercise involves the Pacific Fleet, where Chinese warships will join, the Northern Fleet, the Baltic Fleet and the Caspian Flotilla.
Admiral Moiseev is for a good reason not mentioning the fleet he himself was head of in 2018, the Black Sea fleet. Most of the warships there are damaged or sunken after Russia launched its full-scale war on Ukraine in February 2022 and Kyiv started to attack the vessels at sea or at port in Sevastopol and Novorossiysk.
First phase now is to move warships and weapons into positions. Ocean-2024 will last until September 16, the Defense Ministry says.
@TASS, The Barents Observer
