MOSCOW, February 24. /TASS/. Russia’s Pacific Fleet frigate The Marshal Shaposhnikov has conducted gunnery practice at the Milan 2026 exercise in the Bay of Bengal, the Pacific Fleet press service reported.
"The Pacific Fleet’s frigate The Marshal Shaposhnikov, together with ships from countries participating in the Milan 2026 international naval exercise, conducted a series of live-fire drills in the Bay of Bengal during joint defensive operations," the statement reads.
The press service reported that a towed target shield was used as a simulated enemy in the naval battle, while air attack weapons were simulated by aircraft and light targets.
It said that the navy men fired 100mm A-190 artillery mounts and 30mm AK-630 cannons. The ships carried out combat training exercises in stages, crossing mine-infested areas and simultaneously destroying dummy floating mines with naval artillery.
Russian sailors also practiced anti-submarine warfare missions and joint operations with carrier-based aircraft.
Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Navy and head of the Russian delegation Admiral Alexander Moiseyev told Russian reporters earlier that all Milan 2026 events "are being held in the spirit of cooperation, peace, and security." "The main issue is ensuring security in the Indo-Pacific region," he said. The Russian Navy frigate The Marshal Shaposhnikov arrived in Visakhapatnam earlier this week to participate in the International Fleet Review. Russian navy men also participated in a march-past marking the opening of the exercise. The naval phase of the maneuvers is scheduled for February 21-25. Organizers announced that they will focus on complex maritime operations, including anti-submarine warfare, air defense, search and rescue operations, and joint security missions.
The Marshal Shaposhnikov was launched in January 1985 at the Yantar Shipyard in Kaliningrad as a Project 1155 large anti-submarine ship. In 2016, it underwent repairs and modernization at the Dalzavod Ship Repair Center in Vladivostok. After the modernization, the ship was reclassified as a frigate and equipped with advanced Kalibr-NK and Uran strike missile systems. The frigate returned to the Pacific Fleet after trials on April 27, 2021.