Russia releases footage from biggest strategic naval drills in decades (VIDEOS)

Russia’s Defense Ministry has published a series of videos it claims shows the military taking part in a massive strategic naval exercise on Tuesday. Called Ocean-2024 and scheduled to be held simultaneously in the Pacific and Arctic Oceans, as well as the Mediterranean, Caspian, and Baltic Seas, the drills are set to be the biggest in three decades, according to President Vladimir Putin.

Aimed at testing the combat readiness and interoperability of the nation’s fleets and its Air Force, the exercises will be held until September 16. The troops are expected to simulate real combat situations, the president said, as he attended the start of the maneuvers via video link.

The Russian Pacific Fleet was the first to launch a massive joint strike at a simulated enemy target on the first day of the drills, according to the ministry. The fleet’s surface and undersea vessels as well as coastal defense systems fired almost a dozen cruise missiles in a coordinated volley.

One clip shows Russia’s B-274 Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky submarine firing a Kalibr-PL cruise missile while submerged. The missile can be launched as a torpedo from a submarine’s tube mount. It then emerges from under the water and flies towards its target like a regular cruise missile.

The videos also show Oniks and Uran cruise missiles being launched from mobile coastal Bastion and Bal missile systems. Oniks supersonic missiles are capable of hitting targets at a distance of up to 800km (500 miles) and can travel at almost three times the speed of sound.

Separately, a frigate of the Russian Northern Fleet successfully hit targets at a distance of around 200km (125 miles) with another type of Kalibr missile, according to the ministry.

More than 30 battleships and auxiliary vessels of the Russian Baltic Fleet set out on Tuesday from their bases to take part in the drills. The fleet’s group is expected to perform certain tasks in the Baltic Sea, the ministry said.

Speaking to Defense Minister Andrey Belousov and the Russian fleet commanders on Tuesday, Putin said the nation’s military should be ready for any potential developments amid rising geopolitical tensions and to “reliably defend” both Russia’s sovereignty and interests.