MOSCOW. Sept 19 (Interfax) - The Russian Pacific Fleet has practiced defending the Chukchi Peninsula from a mock enemy's air attack during the Finval 2023 tactical exercise aimed at improving the protection of the Northern Sea Route, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Tuesday.
"To intercept cruise missile targets, two MiG-31 fighter jets on duty were scrambled from the Anadyr airfield. Their crews destroyed the aerial targets with air-to-air missiles," it said.
After performing their tasks, the planes returned to their home airfield, it said.
The ministry circulated a video showing the launches.
The Pacific Fleet is conducting the Finval 2023 tactical exercise under Russian Navy Commander Adm. Nikolai Yevmenov's supervision in the Chukchi Sea and Bering Sea and on the Chukchi Peninsula.
The exercise involves about 10,000 troops and over 50 pieces of military hardware, including surface ships, supply ships, submarines, naval planes and helicopters, Bal and Bastion coastal missile systems, and wheeled and tracked all-terrain armored vehicles.
The ministry reported earlier that the Varyag missile cruiser, the Tomsk nuclear submarine, and Bastion coastal missile system practiced striking a naval unit in the northeastern part of the Bering Sea with cruise missiles.
"According to surveillance systems, all missiles successfully hit the designated targets hundreds of kilometers away from the launch sites," it said.
"All episodes of the exercise are defensive and aim to upgrade the training of forces for operations on the northeastern borders of Russia," it said," the ministry said.