MURMANSK, July 10. /TASS/. The Northern Fleet’s all-arms strike force led by the heavy nuclear-powered missile cruiser Pyotr Veliky struck eight target missiles during comprehensive drills for repelling a notional enemy’s air attack in the Barents Sea, the Fleet’s press office reported on Friday.

"Four Saman target missiles launched by the small missile ship Rassvet towards the naval strike force were eliminated by the fire of shipborne artillery, the combat teams of AK-130 and AK-630 artillery guns of the missile cruisers [the Pyotr Veliky and the Marshal Ustinov]. Four more Saman target missiles were successfully hit by the combat teams of Kinzhal surface-to-air missile systems of both cruisers," the press office said in a statement.

The artillery and anti-aircraft missile firings were conducted as part of the Northern Fleet’s naval exercise that is taking place in the Barents Sea under the command of Fleet Commander Hero of Russia Vice-Admiral Alexander Moiseyev, the press office said.

During the live-fire exercise, the crews of the missile cruisers practiced a full set of missions to provide air defense for a grouping of surface ships at sea, from detecting to eliminating air targets, it said.

The all-arms groupings have already practiced a set of exercises to provide for the combat sustainability of the seaborne strategic nuclear forces, search for and eliminate a notional enemy’s submarines, employ the tactical methods and techniques of striking enemy naval groups, defend the sea coast and protect sea lanes and ensure the security of maritime economic activity, the press office specified.

During the naval exercise, the Northern Fleet’s forces are accomplishing assigned missions in the Barents Sea where they are deployed on an area of over 250,000 square kilometers. More than 30 surface ships, submarines and support vessels, over 20 aircraft and about 40 items of military hardware of coastal defense missile and artillery troops and air defense forces of the Northern Fleet are involved at various stages of the drills.