MOSCOW. Aug 1 (Interfax-AVN) - Russia's presence, in particular its military presence, in the Caspian Sea is a major factor maintaining regional security and stability, and does not pose a threat to other countries, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Yakovenko said on Thursday.
The upcoming training voyage of the Caspian Flotilla is a scheduled event to be held under orders from President Vladimir Putin, the supreme commander-in-chief, to check its preparedness to resist international terrorism, he said.
The flotilla will also train in interaction with other littoral countries in countering illegal arms and drug trafficking, poaching, and piracy, and in maintaining safe navigation and production activity in the Caspian Sea, Yakovenko said.
Being able to perform these functions has never been as important as now, because of the region's proximity to Afghanistan, where the anti-terrorist operation is still underway, he said.
The exercise will be carried out in coastal areas and at sea with observers and armed units of the Caspian countries involved, Yakovenko said.
At the first stage, the main attention will be paid to guarding and defending installations of the flotilla against the background of a terrorist threat. At the same time, practice in exposing and destroying terrorist bases, arms and drug caches on hard-to-reach islands in the sea will begin. During this episode, vessels of the Caspian Flotilla will check islands in the north of the Caspian Sea. The Kazakh Air Force and Air Defense will be involved in sealing off naval approaches to a rebel gang posing resistance.
At the second stage, the focus will be made on maintaining safe navigation of civilian vessels and their protection from possible attacks of terrorists, pirates and other organized criminal gangs. Parties to the exercise will practice detection of a vessel with an armed group on board, its detention, landing of an inspection party on it and its convoying to the nearest Russian port.
An exercise in protecting industrial areas and installations will take place in the northern part of the sea. The training will involve the Russian Energy Ministry, LUKOIL JSO and Transportation Ministry. Protection of an installation will be the main element of the exercise. Another exercise will focus on searching for and rescuing people in the sea, providing aid to a vessel in distress and removing oil spills.