MOSCOW, February 8. /TASS/. A Russian naval task force heading from the Mediterranean to the Black Sea for drills has started transiting the Bosporus and Dardanelles straits, Russia’s Defense Ministry reported on Tuesday.
"Currently, the crews of the large amphibious assault ships Korolyov, Minsk and Kaliningrad are in the Dardanelles Strait. The amphibious assault ships Pyotr Morgunov, Georgy Pobedonosets and Olenegorsky Gornyak will pass through the Black Sea straits during the next day," the ministry specified.
Earlier in February, the naval task force made up of the large amphibious assault ships Pyotr Morgunov, Georgy Pobedonosets, Olenegorsky Gornyak, Korolyov, Minsk and Kaliningrad completed its transit around Europe and arrived at the Russian Navy’s logistics facility in the Syrian port of Tartus on the Mediterranean coast where it replenished its fuel and lubricants, freshwater and food supplies.
Large amphibious assault ships of Project 11711 (the Pyotr Morgunov) and Project 775 (the Georgy Pobedonosets, the Olenegorsky Gornyak, the Korolyov, the Minsk and the Kaliningrad) are designated to land an amphibious assault force on an unequipped shore and sealift troops and cargo. They are capable of transporting various types of armor.
Russian naval maneuvers
In compliance with the 2022 plan of the Russian Armed Forces’ training, a series of naval drills is being held in January-February this year in all the areas of responsibility of the Navy’s fleets under the general command of Russian Navy Commander-in-Chief Admiral Nikolay Yevmenov.
The naval maneuvers are focused on measures by the Navy and the Aerospace Force to protect Russia’s national interests in the World Ocean and counter military threats to Russia from the direction of seas and oceans.
The drills cover the seas adjacent to Russian territory and also operationally important areas of the World Ocean. Separate drills will run in the Mediterranean, North and Okhotsk Seas, in the northeastern Atlantic and the Pacific Ocean.
Overall, the massive drills will bring together over 140 warships and support vessels, more than 60 aircraft, 1,000 items of military hardware and about 10,000 troops.