MOSCOW, August 14. /TASS/. A group of the Russian Northern Fleet’s combat ships and support vessels has embarked on its deployment in Arctic waters and along the Northern Sea Route, Russia’s Defense Ministry reported on its Telegram channel on Monday.

"As part of command and staff training of the Northern Fleet’s military command centers, the Fleet’s Arctic expeditionary force comprising the large anti-submarine warfare ship Vice Admiral Kulakov, the large amphibious assault ship Alexander Otrakovsky, the rescue tug Altai and the tanker Sergey Osipov has embarked on its deployment across the seas of the Arctic Ocean and along the Northern Sea Route," the press office said in a statement.

The Arctic expeditionary force departed from the Northern Fleet’s main naval base of Severomorsk, transited the Kola Bay and lined up in a deployment order in the Barents Sea, it said.

During the deployment in Arctic waters, the Northern Fleet’s naval group will practice ensuring the safety of shipping and other types of Russia’s maritime economic activity in the Arctic, Commander of the Fleet’s Naval Task Force Captain 1st Rank Stanislav Varik said.

"Drills for the defense of Russia’s island and continental territories in the Arctic will also be held," he added.

The 12th Arctic deployment of the Northern Fleet’s combat ships and support vessels is part of a set of measures aimed at protecting Russia’s interests in the Arctic and will last about two months, the press office reported.