MOSCOW, March 21. /TASS/. Russian warships, including the missile cruiser Varyag and the frigate Marshal Shaposhnikov, held air defense drills in the Arabian Sea, the Pacific Fleet fleet said.

"A detachment of warships <...> destroyed an aerial target of a conditional enemy in the Arabian Sea in the course of air defense drills. According to the script of the drills, air defense crews of the frigate Marshal Shaposhnikov detected an aerial target identifying it as a conditional enemy aircraft," the fleet said in a statement.

"The tracking of the `enemy’ aircraft revealed the use of a guidance system by the `enemy’ with a view to delivering an airstrike. Air defense crews immediately responded as the aerial target approached the self-defense zone <...> and they destroyed the aircraft using an air defense system," the fleet added.

The conditional enemy aerial target was simulated electronically.

At present, the Russian warships continue their long sea voyage according to plan.