A new Zircon hypersonic cruise missile is launched by Russian Navy frigate Admiral Gorshkov, in this image taken from video released by the Russian Defense Ministry press service on Saturday, May 28, 2022 (Image: AP)
It said 60 ships and 40 aircraft are taking part in the exercise, which will also take place on the ground at the training ground in the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad.
- AFP
- Last Update:June 09, 2022, 4:12 PM IST
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Dozens of Russian ships took part in military exercises in the strategic Baltic Sea on Thursday, after Sweden and Finland recently announced their intention to join NATO. Russia’s defense ministry said in a statement that the ships of its Baltic Fleet, “will perform training tasks to protect sea lanes and fleet bases”.
It said 60 ships and 40 aircraft were taking part in the exercise, which will also take place on the ground at the training ground in the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad.
The naval exercise comes amid heightened tensions between Moscow and NATO after Sweden and Finland submitted their bids to join the US-led coalition following the start of Russia’s military operation in Ukraine.
If their membership – currently blocked by Turkey – is approved, Russia would become the only non-NATO country on the Baltic Sea.
In a sign of support for Finland and Sweden’s NATO membership, US Chief of Staff General Mark Milley was in Stockholm on Saturday aboard the USS Kersage, making it the largest US warship ever to dock in Stockholm.
His visit comes as NATO conducts an annual naval exercise called “Baltops 22” in the Baltic Sea that will continue until June 17.
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