Russia to Hold Over 1,000 Military Exercises in June-November

01.06.2012 Russian Armed Forces will conduct over 1,000 war games and tactical exercises in the summer training period (June-Nov 2012).

All exercises will be aimed at improvement of interaction between branches and effective use of tactical automated control systems, reported Russian Defense Ministry.

The exercise will be held 2 or 3 times a week and be focused on knowledge of various armaments and driving skills.

The training period will finish with large-scale strategic exercise Caucasus-2012 to be held in Russia's south and Northern Caucasus. Military units of Abkhazia and South Ossetia will take part in the exercise.

In addition, Russia will carry out about 50 joint exercises with foreign countries, including Slavic Commonwealth 2012 (with Ukraine and Belarus), Indra-2012 (with India), and Selenga (with Mongolia).

Russian Navy will traditionally participate in the RIMPAC-2012, FRUKUS-2012, Northern Eagle 2012, and BLACKSEAFOR joint naval exercises.

One of the exercises started even today. Baltic Fleet (BF) landing ship Kaliningrad left the base to attend the BALTOPS-2012 joint exercise held in the Baltic Sea in June 1-16.

The exercise will be attended by over 20 ships and about 20 aircraft of NATO countries. It is planned to practice antisubmarine warfare, sea rescue operations, and counter-terror activities.

BALTOPS is the annual naval exercise taking place in the Baltic Sea and adjacent areas since 1971. Russian Navy's ships 19 times attended the exercise.

Large landing ship Kaliningrad was commissioned in Dec 1984 and has held a number of exercises in the Baltic, the North, and the Mediterranean seas, as well as in the Atlantic Ocean.

Kaliningrad-class ships are capable to carry up to 500 tons of cargo, 13 tanks, and over 200 marines.