SEVASTOPOL. April 10 (Interfax-AVN) - The Russian Black Sea Fleet has begun a cruise in local waters.
"The Samum and Bora air-cushion missile ships, the Shtil and Mirazh small missile ships, and two missile boats have taken to sea. The Bora is sailing under the flag of Russian Black Sea Fleet Commander Vice Admiral Vladimir Masorin," a source with the Black Sea Fleet told Interfax-Military News Agency on Thursday.
The squadron also includes the Moskva missile cruiser, the Smetlivy and Pytlivy patrol vessels, and the Tsezar Kunikov large landing craft, which got underway on Wednesday. They first trained at their anchorage site and later in coordination with other vessels that took to sea on Thursday.
According to the schedule of the maneuvers, the first to act will be the Kovrovets, Turbinist, and Radist minesweepers.
The cruise will take place in the northwestern part of the Black Sea from April 10 to 17. It will involve a unit of Black Sea Fleet's missile ships and boats in coordination with the fleet's naval, aviation, and coastal units. Taking part in the exercises will be some 20 warships, the fleet's air forces, over 20 support vessels, and coastal troops.
The exercises are primarily aimed at improving the skills of commanders and staffs and training interaction between tactical units in performing combat duties.
The cruise will have two stages. The first one will take place on April 10-15 and will include preparations for conducting a simulated combat operation, and the second stage will take place on April 15-17 and will feature the accomplishment of missions against the background of a combat training operation.
Black Sea Fleet sailors will practice in coning vessels after minesweepers and performing complex missile and artillery firing that are to involve vessel and attack aviation groups and coastal units.
The cruise envisages the accomplishment of over 30 training missions, and some of them will take place in the framework of a competition for the Russian Navy Commander's Prize.