MOSCOW, September 23. /TASS/. Warships of the Russian Navy and China’s Navy have held a number of drills, including search and rescue rehearsals and air defense exercises, as part of joint patrols in the Pacific Ocean, the Russian Defense Ministry reported on Friday.

"Russian and Chinese Navy officers have been practicing maneuvers using various formations and establishing communication links between the vessels. Several joint and individual exercises were conducted to work out anti-submarine missions, search and rescue operations at sea and execute air defense tasks, with flights performed by antisubmarine and rescue ship-based helicopters," Russia’s top brass said in a statement.

The Russian ships conducted several rounds of water and fuel replenishment at sea from the Pechenga tanker.

The Russian Navy is represented by the frigate Marshal Shaposhnikov, the corvettes Hero of the Russian Federation Aldar Tsydenzhapov, Sovershenny and Gromky and the oil products tanker Pechenga, all of them in service with Russia’s Pacific Fleet. The Chinese Navy has involved the destroyer Nian Chang, the patrol ship Yang Chen and the integrated supply vessel Dong Pinghu. The Russian and Chinese warships have sailed more than 3,000 nautical miles in the past 12 days and are continuing their patrols.