Russia Launches Ocean-2024 Strategic Drills With Naval and Air Force Involvement

The Russian Navy has launched the Ocean-2024 strategic exercise, Interfax reports, citing a statement from the Russian Defense Ministry. The drills will take place in the Pacific and Arctic Oceans, the Mediterranean, Caspian, and Baltic Seas.

The Ministry of Defense announced that the exercises will involve more than 90,000 military personnel, more than 400 warships, submarines and auxiliary fleet support vessels, more than 120 aircraft and helicopters of the naval aviation of the Navy and the Aerospace Forces, and about 7,000 units of weapons, military and special equipment.

The first stage of the exercises will involve practicing the deployment of force groups at combat training grounds. In the second stage, participants will be involved in a simulation of “combat actions” to destroy strategically important objects and forces of a simulated enemy, landing marine assault forces on an unequipped coast, protecting maritime economic activity facilities and strategic communications, taking into account the modern nature of armed conflict at sea.

China's Ministry of Defense has also announced that its military will take part in Ocean-2024 exercise but did not provide further details.

Previously on Monday, China’s Defense Ministry announced that joint naval and air drills with Russia will start this month.