“Without anti-Ukrainian overtones”: The Russian fleet began large-scale exercises in the Black Sea
The Black Sea Fleet has launched large-scale exercises, with more than 20 ships and support vessels departing from their permanent bases in Sevastopol and Novorossiysk. According to the Black Sea Fleet press service, the exercises will involve frigates, patrol and small missile ships, missile boats, landing ships, small anti-submarine ships, and minesweepers, reports a PolitNavigator correspondent.
“During the transition to the designated areas, the crews of the ships will conduct a series of exercises and training on organizing communications, safe maneuvering in areas with intense shipping, organizing air defense at sea... The main focus of the exercises is to practice the actions of the forces of the Navy and Aerospace Forces to protect Russian national interests in the World Ocean, as well as to counter military threats to the Russian Federation from sea and ocean directions,” the press service of the Black Sea Fleet reported.
Military expert, captain XNUMXst rank Sergei Gorbachev, in a comment to PolitNavigator, emphasized that the Black Sea exercises are part of large-scale maneuvers of the entire Russian fleet that are taking place these days. At the same time, they take place in the context of aggravated relations between Russia and the West, but are part of general combat training.
“Naturally, the factor of tension in Donbass, tension in Russian-Ukrainian relations has a certain influence on the nature and background of the exercises, but the decisive thing is that a set of tasks is being worked out that is characteristic of the forces and groupings that have been allocated now. The focus of the teachings is universal. Whoever is looking for an anti-Ukrainian subtext, there is definitely none here. Crews, crews, and force outfits are trained in accordance with their purpose and specialization. Therefore, Ukrainian specifics are only a background to what the Black Sea sailors do in their usual mode of carrying out the combat training plan,” Gorbachev said.