MOSCOW. Feb 15 (Interfax) - An exercise involving 20 ships and vessels of Russia's Northern Fleet has begun in the Barents Sea, the fleet's press service said.
Naval ships, submarines, boats and support vessels formed naval groups and left permanent bases heading to designated areas as part of the exercise, it said.
"In total, up to 20 ships and support vessels of the Northern Fleet are involved in the exercise in the Barents Sea. Over 10 aircraft of the Northern Fleet's air force and air defense army are also participating in them," the press service said.
"The Pyotr Veliky heavy nuclear missile cruiser, the Admiral Gorshkov frigate, other naval ships, nuclear-powered and diesel submarines, as well as support vessels, comprise the multiple-type naval forces," it said.
The ships will perform "live firing at maritime and airborne targets, using artillery, anti-submarine weapons and electronic warfare capabilities," it said.
Additionally, it is planned to practice "checking for the absence of surveillance, searching for foreign submarines, and establishing the monitoring of ship traffic in the Barents Sea and flights by aerial vehicles over it," it said.
Divided in naval groups, the Northern Fleet's naval ships, submarines, boats and support vessels "left their permanent bases and moved to the designated areas," it said.
As reported earlier, NATO has plans to hold an exercise in early March within the Northern Polar Circle, the biggest in modern history.
According to the U.S. mission to the North Atlantic Alliance, 35,000 soldiers from 28 countries will participate in the exercise. The United States' aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman will also take part, the U.S. mission said.