SOCHI, December 2. /TASS/. The Russian Navy confirmed its great combat potential in the struggle against terrorists in Syria, Russian President Vladimir Putin said in his opening remarks at the beginning of the 14th series of conferences on defense issues.
"The Navy confirmed its great combat potential in the struggle with terrorists in Syria," Putin said. "I would like to emphasize once again the coordination of naval units and the professionalism of participants in the operation - the commanders, naval personnel and naval aviation pilots."
Currently, he said, a group of Russian ships is permanently present in the eastern part of the Mediterranean off Syria’s shores. A Russian naval logistic facility is deployed at the port of Tartus. Putin mentioned the successful implementation of tasks set to Russian naval ships in the Arctic, Atlantic, Indian and Pacific oceans, including the protection of shipping and resistance to piracy in the South China Sea, as well as missions in the Gulf of Aden, Malacca and Singapore straits and the Caribbean.
"All in all 111 voyages have been made, with 70 surface ships, 27 supply ships and 15 multirole submarines taking part," Putin said.
He spoke highly of the naval exercise Ocean Shield-2019, in which naval aircraft of all four fleets had participated. Also, he recalled a unique tactical exercise in the Arctic, where the Marines practiced landing at unequipped coast and islands in the Arctic Ocean and combat ships simulated operations to protect economic activity on the Arctic shelf.