Russia conducts naval manoeuvres in the Mediterranean

The Russian navy conducted naval manoeuvres in the Mediterranean on Tuesday, which included a simulated aerial attack, a submarine search and the organisation of communications, Moheet.com has reported.

A spokesman for the Russian Black Sea Fleet, Vyacheslav Trukhachyov, told the media that its newest frigates, the Admiral Grigorovich and the Admiral Essen, are taking part in what he described as “a routine tactical exercise” under the leadership of Vice-Admiral Valery Kulikov.

According to the Russian defence ministry, the frigates are armed with Kalibr-NK cruise missiles and the Shtil-1 medium-range surface-to-air missile system. They are designed for anti-ship and anti-submarine warfare on the high seas, and anti-aircraft actions both independently and in the role of escort vessels.

The Admiral Essen carried out an attack against Syrian opposition bases in December last year.