ST. PETERSBURG. Jan 27 (Interfax-Northwest) - The Russian Northern Fleet will hold exercises in February.
"These will be routine exercises. They have nothing to do with the trial currently in progress in Severomorsk," Navy Commander-in-Chief Vladimir Kuroyedov told Interfax.
The exercises will involve "effectively all major units of the fleet. We need to check the combat readiness and combat capability of the Northern Fleet, irrespective of any external factors," Kuroyedov said.
Hearings are being held at a Severomorsk court on the death of crewmembers of the K-159 submarine that sank three miles northwest of Kildin Island at 4:00 a.m. Moscow time (0000 GMT) on August 30, 2003. Northern Fleet Commander Admiral Gennady Suchkov faces charges of negligence. He has been temporarily relieved of duties.
Kuroyedov reaffirmed that the K-159 will be raised.
"We will not be able to fulfil this task this year for technical reasons. But the submarine will definitely be raised," he said.