Russian naval ships hold live-fire exercise in Black Sea

MOSCOW. Sept 24 (Interfax) – Russian warships have held a missile and artillery live-fire exercise in the Black Sea, Russia’s Black Sea Fleet said on Friday.

"During the final stage of the maneuvers, the ships’ crews carried out a missile and artillery live-fire exercise, firing anti-aircraft and artillery systems at targets at sea and in the air," the Black Sea Fleet’s press service said.

This stage of the exercise focused on protecting Russia’s economic activity in the Black Sea. Six ships and vessels, namely, the Dmitry Rogachyov and Pavel Derzhavin patrol ships, the Samum hovercraft, and the Shuya, Ivanovets, and R-60 missile boats, were involved in the exercise.

The Black Sea Fleet is holding these maneuvers against the backdrop of a military exercise in Ukraine, in which the United States and a number of other countries are participating.

"The crews of the ships practiced elements of joint navigation and combat maneuvers within same-type and multiple-type tactical groups, held an individual signal exercise, and practiced anti-submarine and anti-aircraft defense of a unit of ships during transit by sea," the press service said.

In all, some 20 surface ships and support vessels of the Black Sea Fleet, among them missile and anti-submarine ships, submarines, minesweepers, and support and rescue vessels, as well as airplanes and helicopters, are participating in the exercise.

"The ships are taking part in the maneuvers at sea training ranges in accordance with the Black Sea Fleet’s combat training plan for the 2021 training year," it said.