MOSCOW. March 15 (Interfax) - A Russian Pacific Fleet unit comprising the Varyag missile cruiser and the Marshal Shaposhnikov frigate has left the Iranian port of Chabahar and continued its long-distance mission, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement on Friday.
"Ships of the Russian Navy continue their long-distance mission after the Maritime Security Belt 2024 exercise," the statement said.
The Maritime Security Belt 2024 exercise ended on Thursday. Russian, Iranian and Chinese ships practiced joint maneuvering in the Gulf of Oman and fired heavy machineguns and ship artillery at surface and air targets in the daytime and at night.
Representatives of the Pakistani, Kazakh, Azerbaijani, Omani, Indian and South African navies have taken part in the Maritime Security Belt exercise, established in 2018, as observers for the first time, the statement said. This is the sixth exercise. It involved over 20 ships, supply vessels, boats and maritime helicopters. The navies of Russia, Iran and China are regular participants in the exercise.