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Russian Baltic Fleet pilots crush enemy ships in drills as NATO holds Baltops exercise

The drills included over ten aircraft, according to the Fleet’s press office
Su-30SM fighter jet Yuri Smityuk/TASS
Su-30SM fighter jet
© Yuri Smityuk/TASS

MOSCOW, June 11. /TASS/. Over ten aircraft of the Baltic Fleet’s naval aviation, including Su-30SM fighters and Su-24 bombers, delivered strikes against a notional enemy’s amphibious assault ships at Baltic Sea naval ranges amid NATO’s ongoing Baltops 2020 exercise in the region, the Fleet’s press office reported on Thursday.

"The crews of Su-24 frontline bombers and Su-30SM fighters of the Baltic Fleet’s naval aviation practiced notionally delivering strikes with airborne weapons against surface targets at naval training ranges in the Baltic Sea during planned drills," the press office said in a statement.

The combat planes delivered strikes, supported by a wing of Su-27 fighter planes, the statement says.

"The pilots performed flights to the designated sea area to reconnoiter the maritime situation and also carried out training attacks against the targets that simulated a group of the notional enemy’s ships. Overall, the planned measures involved over ten aircraft of the Baltic Fleet’s naval aviation," the press office specified.

The Baltic Fleet’s drills are running amid NATO’s ongoing Baltops 2020 naval exercise that involves 17 member states and two partner countries. About 30 warships, up to 30 aircraft and helicopters and around 3,000 personnel are taking part in NATO’s Baltops 2020 drills, Russia’s Baltic Fleet said.