VLADIVOSTOK, April 20. /TASS/. The Pacific Fleet’s military hardware proved its reliability and the personnel demonstrated high naval skills during the Fleet’s sweeping drills, Russian Navy Commander-in-Chief Admiral Nikolay Yevmenov told reporters on Thursday.

"The equipment involving the latest ships, submarines and aircraft showed their high reliability and the personnel are demonstrating professional skills," the Navy chief said.

It is yet early to talk about the results of the Pacific Fleet’s snap combat readiness inspection because its active phase is still underway. The sudden combat readiness check is the first exercise that came "as a surprise not only for the forces being inspected but also for the command staff," Yevmenov said.

The Pacific Fleet’s snap combat readiness inspection consists of three stages. At the first stage, the Pacific Fleet’s forces and capabilities were placed on full combat alert. At the second stage, they deployed to dispersal areas and assumed designated positions. The third stage involves practical operations by the Pacific Fleet’s forces and capabilities, the Navy chief specified.

The constantly changing and sometimes worsening weather conditions did not impede the Fleet’s forces to employ weapons during the drills, Yevmenov said. The Navy chief highly commended the combat skills and cohesion of military pilots who demonstrated their professional skills, the operation of minesweeping forces, multi-purpose submarines, anti-submarine warfare and assault ships.

"All the objectives set by the supreme commander-in-chief will be accomplished on time and with high quality," Yevmenov stressed.

By decision of Russian President Supreme Commander-in-Chief Vladimir Putin, the Pacific Fleet’s forces went on high alert in a snap combat readiness inspection on April 14.

The naval sailors will exercise to prevent a potential enemy’s penetration into the southern part of the Sea of Okhotsk, repel the landing of an adversary force on the Island of Sakhalin and the southern Kuril Islands, Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu earlier reported.

The sudden combat readiness inspection commanded by Russian Navy Commander-in-Chief Yevmenov also involves some units of the Aerospace Forces. The sweeping drills are aimed at raising the preparedness of the Russian forces for "repelling a potential enemy’s aggression from oceanic and maritime directions." The exercise will also focus on operations by strategic nuclear-powered missile-carrying submarines.

As Defense Minister Shoigu reported on April 17, the Pacific Fleet’s surprise combat readiness inspection involves over 25,000 personnel, 167 combat ships and support vessels, including 12 submarines, and 89 aircraft and helicopters.