MOSCOW. May 23 (Interfax) - Students of the Russian General Staff Academy and the Belarusian Military Academy began annual training with the Russian Northern Fleet on Tuesday, the fleet's press service said in a statement.
"Academy students will go to sea by Northern Fleet warships in accordance with the practice plan. In the course of naval practice, students will be familiarized with elements of naval deployment, joint maneuvering of surface ships, interaction with aircraft, submarine hunt, air defense, and search and rescue of sailors in distress. There will also be a series of live-fire exercises: missile, artillery and air defense missile drills," the press service said.
Generals, admirals and officers studying at the higher military schools of Russia and Belarus, "will learn about combat capacities of the joint strategic command of the Northern Fleet and the system of interaction, control and support of groups of submarines, surface ships, aircraft and air defense on combat mission," it said.
The training plan envisages familiarization of the students with the activity of the Northern Fleet Staff's regional defense control center, it said.
Academy students will take part in practice onboard ships of the Northern Fleet's Kola Combined-Arms Flotilla and missile ship formation and will see an exhibition of weapons and military and special hardware of coastal forces, anti-sabotage units and fleet rescuers. There will be practice with Northern Fleet submarines, too, the press service said.
Students of Russian and Belarusian military academies will be practicing "at the Northern Fleet base for several days," it said.