The Russian Navy and the Syrian Navy have launched a joint exercise in the Mediterranean Sea, the Russian Naval Station in the port of Tartus told reporters.
The choice of the Mediterranean Sea as the training area was explained by the fact that the Russian base “Tartus” is the main way to supply the group of troops in Syria, and therefore it is necessary to constantly improve the training of crews of ships and coastal units.
The Tartus station also reported that Russian surface ships, Kheimimim airbase planes, missile boats and minesweepers of the Syrian Navy will be involved in the maneuvers.
Rear Admiral Oleksandr Yuldashev, the head of the exercise, said that the maneuvers are conducted against a single operational background, during which various tactical episodes will be practiced.
“Tactical groups of the Russian Navy and the SAR Navy are carrying out artillery firing and joint maneuvering at sea. On the shore of the security and defense units will work on the issues of fighting against unmanned aerial vehicles, fighting against illegal armed formations, as well as on the issues of localization and elimination of the consequences of the use of weapons at the port of Tartus”, – said Yuldashev.
According to him, the exercises are aimed at increasing interaction between the armed forces of Russia and Syria in order to successfully combat illegal armed groups and international terrorism and to strengthen cooperation between the two countries.