KALININGRAD, May 22 (Itar-Tass) — The FRUCUS international naval exrecise scheduled in the Baltic Sea for June will be held under Russia's command for the first time this year, Chief of the press service of the Western Military District Captain 2nd rank Vladimir Matveyev told Itar-Tass on Tuesday. A decision to this effect was announced at a meeting of participants in the maneuvers held in St. Petersburg, Matveyev said. The conference was attended by commanders of naval ships participating in the drills from Russia, France, Great Britain and the United States.
The headquarters of the exercise will be based at the Central Naval Museum in St. Petersburg, Matveyev said.
The maneuvers will be held in two stages. A costal stage of the exercises will be held at Russia’s main naval base of the Baltic Fleet in Baltiysk, while the drills at sea will be held in the assigned areas of the Baltic Sea and on the way of the ships from Baltiysk to Krondstadt.
The ships will practice to destroy surface and air targets, hold joint tactical maneuvers, practice artillery shooting and a rescue operation for a ship in distress, the spokesman said.
Russia will be represented at the exercises by the Yaroslav Mudry costal guard ship. The crew of the Russian ship will practice joint maneuvers with a British destroyer, frigate from France and missile cruiser from the United States.