Russian warships test fire powerful cruise missiles in intimidating display of strength from Vladimir Putin's Pacific fleet
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Russian warships test fired powerful cruise missiles in an intimidating display of strength by Russia's Pacific fleet.
Dramatic footage released yesterday by the Russian Defence Ministry showed ships taking part in firing exercises in an apparent show of naval strength.
According to the ministry, the joint firing drill involved large antisubmarine ships Admiral Tributs and Admiral Vinogradov along with the country's guided missile cruiser Varyag.
A tactical task force also held an exercise simulating submarine-hunting which involved launching torpedoes and antisubmarine rockets.
Russian news agency TASS reported a target, simulated to be an enemy ship, was 'successfully' struck by cruise missiles during the drills.
Russian Pacific Fleet spokesman Captain 2nd Rank Nikolai Voskresensky said: "Today, the Pacific Fleet flagship, the Order of Nakhimov Guards missile cruiser Varyag has carried out a combat training exercise as part of the Primorye all-arms flotilla’s tactical drills ongoing in the Sea of Japan to fire Bazalt cruise missiles against a sea shield simulating a notional enemy’s surface ship.
According to Mr Voskresensky, the target was struck according to "live recording equipment and the target’s visual inspection," TASS reported.
The drills of the Russian Pacific fleet started on Friday.
It involves up to 30 battle ships and service vessels as well as 20 navy jets and helicopters.
Earlier this month, the Russian military said it was closely watching the situation around Syria and was aware of the movements of a US naval strike force headed for the Gulf.
Russian officials said the US strike force was due to arrive in the Middle East at the start of May.
“We are attentively tracking the situation unfolding around Syria and in the whole region,” the Russian Defence Ministry said in a statement.
It also reacted to a warning of imminent military action in Syria from U. President Donald Trump.
“Instead of talking about the coalition’s readiness to fire missiles at Syria, the United States would do better to rebuild the destroyed city (of Raqqa) and provide wide-ranging help to its suffering population,” the ministry said in a statement.
It repeated its assertion that a suspected chemical weapons attack carried out in the Syrian town of Douma had been faked by the “White Helmets” organisation, rejecting Western allegations that Syrian government forces were responsible for it.