Russia’s Pacific Fleet has launched a series of naval exercises aimed at testing its ability to protect critical maritime infrastructure, Interfax reported Thursday, citing the fleet’s press service.
The drills, which began this week in the Far East regions of Primorye and Kamchatka, included joint operations with the Federal Security Service (FSB) and border patrol units, the fleet’s press service said.
The exercise is part of an expansive training initiative dubbed “July Storm,” which aims to sharpen combat readiness in “non-standard” scenarios.
Naval patrol boats operating near Vladivostok simulated responses to an attack by unmanned surface vessels and aerial drones.
Mock enemy drones approached the Russky Bridge, prompting a response from Mi-8 and Ka-27PS helicopters carrying anti-terror squads.
Russian forces reportedly neutralized the threat using small arms fire and strike drones launched from a warship, the fleet said.
In a separate phase of the exercise, the corvette Gremyashchy fired an anti-submarine missile at a submerged training target in the Pacific Ocean, the Defense Ministry said.
The July Storm exercises, which run through July 27, span multiple Russian naval theaters including the Pacific, Arctic, Baltic and Caspian regions.
The Defense Ministry said the operation involves over 150 warships and support vessels, 120 aircraft, 10 coastal missile systems, nearly 1,000 pieces of military hardware and more than 15,000 troops from all four major fleets.
Officials said the training will assess the Navy’s ability to coordinate long-range precision strikes, deploy unmanned platforms and integrate modern weaponry across domains.
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