MOSCOW, December 27. /TASS/. Russia has sent one ship and two auxiliary vessels to the joint naval drills with China and Iran in the Gulf of Oman, the Krasnaya Zvezda (Red Star) newspaper reported on Friday citing the Russian Defense Ministry.

"From 27 to 30 December 2019, the group of military ships of the Baltic Fleet — including the Yaroslav Mudry frigate, the Elnya tanker and the Viktor Konetsky tugboat — will take part in the Russian-Iranian-Chinese naval drills which will be held in the northern part of the Indian Ocean," the defense ministry said.

During the drills, the sailors of the three countries will practice liberating a ship hijacked by "pirates" and other elements of maneuvers, establishing communications and providing assistance to a ship in distress, the ministry added.

The ministry noted that the agreement on holding the drills was reached in July 2019 at the Nady Day Parade in St. Petersburg.