ROSTOV-ON-DON, January 10. /TASS/. The crews of over 30 ships and vessels from the Caspian Flotilla have started preparations for their deployment to the sea in the new training year, the press office of the Southern Military District reported on Friday.
"The crews of ships, boats and support vessels have launched operations on the territory of the bases of the Caspian Flotilla’s naval taskforces to accomplish the elements of the K-1 course task — a series of assignments for the ship’s vital activity and functioning in its independent sole deployment to the sea," the press office said in a statement.
The drills "involve over 30 ships and support vessels of the Caspian Flotilla, including the missile ships Dagestan and Tatarstan. The small missile and artillery ships Grad Sviyazhsk, Uglich, Veliky Ustyug, Volgodonsk, Makhachkala and Astrakhan are also taking part in the exercise," the statement says.
The drills are running in the Astrakhan Region in southern Russia and in the North Caucasus' Republic of Dagestan.
During the drills, the crews will practice preparing ships for a battle, carrying out ship damage control measures and air and anti-saboteur defense in their anchorage at their base, according to the press office.
The Caspian Flotilla personnel will also practice providing for the crews’ everyday life, services and rest and fulfilling assignments within the required time limits for the maintenance of the ships’ armament and mechanisms and preparing for replenishing the ammunition load at sea and at their bases, the statement adds.