MOSCOW. Sept 14 (Interfax) - An Arctic expedition of the Russian Northern Fleet has arrived at the Novosibirsk Islands archipelago in the Laptev Sea, having covered over 6,500 nautical miles, the fleet's press service said on Thursday.
"Ships and supply vessels of the unit anchored in the Gulf of Arctic Stakhanovites near the Kotelny Island and started to replenish supplies as planned," the press service said.
While traversing the Laptev Sea, the Vice-Admiral Kulakov destroyer and the Alexander Otrakovsky landing ship practiced protecting and defending the unit at sea.
"Missile, artillery and anti-submarine crews and antiterrorist units practiced their operations. The exercise included live-fire drills with various shipborne weapon systems and small arms," the press service said.
The Arctic expedition began its 12th voyage through the Arctic seas on August 10. A series of drills were held near the Franz-Josef Land and Novaya Zemlya archipelagoes. The Northern Fleet ships will soon train in certain areas of the Laptev Sea and the East Siberian Sea.