The exercises of the Northern Fleet in the Murmansk region focus on leadership, cooperation and also the search for submarines
The Northern Fleet of the Russian Armed Forces is organizing war exercises on the Kola Peninsula this week. On Monday, the command and staff exercise began, in which a maximum of 1,800 people, 40 aircraft carriers and 15 ships and dozens of other equipment and vehicles will participate.
Also included is the missile cruiser Marshal Ustinov, who, according to Russian media reports, specializes in destroying large ships and formations.
Exercise 150 kilometers from the Finnish border
In the exercise, the Northern Fleet and the Russian Air and Space Forces develop cooperation.
According to Russian media reports, the exercise started from the garrison near the town of Montšegorsk, which is located at the height of Tankavaara and Muonio, about 150 kilometers from the Finnish border.
According to the press release of the Northern Fleet, this week they will practice leading air defense in crisis situations in the Arctic ocean region. Attention is particularly drawn to “ensuring the security of the economic activity of the Russian Federation in sea areas, including the Northeast Passage”.
The subject of the exercise’s evaluation is, among other things, the readiness of management and staffs at different levels, as well as consistency in the joint training and combat tasks of tactical aviation groups and air defense subdivisions in the Arctic region.
Also submarines on the move
In addition, there is a submarine exercise of the Northern Fleet on the Kola Peninsula this week. It also includes helicopters and airplanes. Among other things, the exercise aims to find and follow the opponent’s submarines.
The Northern Fleet assures in the announcements that the exercises are a normal annual and planned training activity.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Aleksandr Gruško says in an interview with Izvestija that after Finland joins NATO, Russia must “absolutely strengthen the defense infrastructure on Finland’s border”. In particular, he emphasizes the Leningrad region, i.e. the region of St. Petersburg and the Republic of Karelia.
– Decisions will be made. Some decisions have already been made, Gruško says in the Izvestija article.
According to him, the acceptance of Finland as a member of NATO indicates that NATO is trying to promote its military interests in the Arctic region.
Sources: Northern Navy bulletins, lenta.ru, murman.tv and iz.ru