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Russia's Northern Fleet holds large-scale drills

The naval forces are practising anti-sabotage defense of the fleet’s forces and coastal infrastructures

MURMANSK, April 30. /TASS/. Russia’s Northern Fleet is conducting a large-scale comprehensive exercise to test the readiness of its forces to protect a submarine base. According to the fleet’s spokesman, Captain 1st Class Vadim Serga, the naval forces are practising anti-sabotage defense of the fleet’s forces and coastal infrastructures.

"Taking part in the exercise are crews of a submarine division, anti-sabotage units, coastal units’ personnel and naval aviation. Tight interaction has been established between the authorities of the closed administrative entity (town of Zaozyorsk) with the regional offices of the federal security service FSB, Emergencies Ministry, Interior Ministry and the anti-terrorist commission," Serga said.

For the first time ever drones and unmanned underwater vehicles are employed and new tactics used to identify hypothetical groups of saboteurs.

Under the exercise’s scenario the hypothetical enemy’s saboteurs will try to mount a combined attack from the sea and from the mainland to put in order naval ships, control and communication facilities located in the territory of the base and around the town. The Northern Fleet will plan, arrange for and conduct measures to search for and neutralize groups of saboteurs. Live firing practice will be conducted with the use of multiple rocket launchers and special small weapons.