Two Steregushchiy-class warships of the Russian Baltic Fleet have been
launched from their home port of Baltiysk. They are taking part in a
large-scale Naval exercise scheduled to last until February.
"The two ships are the advanced multipurpose corvettes Soobrazitelnyy and
Stoikiy," said a statement from the press service of the Baltic Fleet on
Monday (25/1/2022).
Ships of that class are mostly designed for operations in coastal zones, but
have some deep-sea capabilities.
"The pair will conduct a number of exercises to hone crew members' skills in
various types of missions, including submarine detection and pursuit,
anti-ship warfare, air defense, and search and rescue operations," the
report said.
Both carry units of marines, which will practice fending off simulated
terrorist attacks on ships during periods of exposure, such as passing
through a strait or port.
While the Navy did not specify where the ships would be headed, it said they
had made a "long-distance" trip.
The deployment is part of a series of massive exercises that the Russian
Navy will carry out through February. The Navy sent more than 140 warships
and support ships, about 60 aircraft, and 10,000 troops for the exercise.
"The exercises will take place in waters close to Russia, as well as in
strategic parts of the world such as the Mediterranean or the North Sea,"
the Russian Defense Ministry said last week.
The news comes amid the deployment of additional military assets to the
Baltic region by NATO members. NATO said on Monday that Denmark would send a
frigate to the Baltic Sea and relocate F-16 fighters to Lithuania.
Other countries send troops and equipment to other member states located
close to Russia. The moves have been touted as increased NATO deterrence
against a possible Russian invasion of Ukraine, which the Kremlin has
repeatedly denied.
Moscow has previously said the bloc's expansion into eastern Europe and the
deployment of troops close to Russia jeopardized Russia's national security.
Washington and Brussels rejected Russia's proposal to ease tensions by
providing legally binding guarantees that NATO's doors would be closed to
Russia's neighbors and by removing some of the military assets stationed
next door.
