Status: 04/14/2023 2:35 p.m
Amid high tensions with the West, Russia’s Pacific Fleet has begun surprise combat exercises. The fleet was put on high alert. The main aim of the maneuver is to be able to fend off attacks coming from the sea.
Against the background of massive tensions with the West, Russia has put its entire Pacific Fleet on alert and ready for action in an unannounced inspection. Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said that a military exercise would be used to defend against an attempted enemy landing on the southern Kuril Islands and the island of Sakhalin.
According to Chief of Staff Valeri Gerasimov, the maneuver will take place in three stages. The first stage is the mobilization of the troops, followed by the ships leaving the port and conducting simulated combat operations.
Missile cruiser Varyag as flagship
The flagship of the Russian Pacific Fleet is the missile cruiser Varyag. In addition, three frigates and around 60 smaller warships and landing ships as well as around 20 submarines, including nuclear submarines, are in service. Parts of the air and missile forces as well as supply units are also to take part in the exercise.
According to Schoigus, the units must be better prepared for a possible attack. The foreign military attachés were informed about the aim of the exercise.
Shoigu announced the details of the maneuver.
Image: picture alliance/dpa/Russian Def
Dispute over southern Kuril Islands
The sudden maneuver is explosive not only because of Moscow’s already tense relations with the West as a result of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, but also because of the named enemy targets, including the southern Kuril Islands.
There has been a dispute between Russia and its neighbor Japan over the four southernmost islands of the Kuril Islands since the end of World War II. To date, this conflict has prevented the signing of a peace treaty by both nations.