MOSCOW. April 13 (Interfax) - Minesweepers of the Russian Black Sea Fleet have taken part in an exercise that involved artillery firing and mine setting as part of the control inspection following winter training season, the fleet's press service said.
"The Valentin Pikul, the Zheleznyakov and the Vice-Admiral Zakharyin minesweepers held a training session in an emergency preparation of the ship for a battle and a voyage, involving a maintenance check of the ship's armament," the press service said.
The minesweepers then went to sea and set training mines, it said.
"The personnel then searched for and swept the mock enemy's mines using deep-water contact and non-contact trawls. Artillery units of the minesweepers held examination firing at mockup floating mines," the press service said.
The exercise was held in line with the schedule of a control inspection of the Black Sea Fleet following the winter training season at a naval training range in the Black Sea, it said.