Russian Navy Holds Underwater Saboteur Drills in Baltic Sea
Russian forces have conducted an exercise in the Baltic Sea including drills to repel an underwater attack, the defence ministry said on Friday.Units of divers "demonstrated skills in detecting and capturing a group of underwater saboteurs, as well as using FPV (first person view) drones to destroy unmanned boats of a mock enemy", the ministry said.The drills were aimed partly at assessing the navy's anti-submarine sabotage defence units, it said.It was the second time this month that Russia has held naval exercises with an anti-submarine component, after U.S.
Putin Prioritizes Russian Navy Rebuild
Russian President Vladimir Putin has approved a new naval strategy which aims to fully restore Russia's position as one of the world's leading maritime powers, Kremlin aide Nikolai Patrushev said in an interview published on Monday.Russia has the world's third most powerful navy after China and the United States, according to most public rankings, though the navy has suffered a series of high-profile losses in the Ukraine war.Patrushev, a former KGB officer who served with Putin in the northern Russian city of St Petersburg during Soviet times…
Russia Orders Divers to Inspect Ships After Tanker Blasts
Russia has ordered divers to inspect ships in its ports, a government letter seen by Reuters shows, after suspected attacks on four oil tankers that visited in recent weeks.At the same time the Russian navy will help protect from the threat of drones and unmanned vessels, it said.Three oil tankers around the Mediterranean, and another in the Russian Baltic, have been damaged by blasts in the last month.All four had recently called at Russian ports, according to shipping sources…
The U.S. Navy’s New Navigation Plan: Anticipating the Impact on Uncrewed Surface Systems
In September 2024, the U.S. Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Lisa Franchetti, issued her Chief of Naval Operations Navigation Plan for America’s Warfighting Navy. Admiral Franchetti describes this Navigation Plan as the strategic guidance to the U.S. Navy.This Navigation Plan embodies “Project 33” in recognition of the fact that Admiral Franchetti is the 33rd Chief of Naval Operations. Project 33 articulates two overarching objectives: An imperative to be ready for the possibility of war with the People’s Republic of China by 2027…
Russian Frigate Conducts Drills in English Channel
A Russian Navy frigate equipped with new generation hypersonic cruise missiles has conducted drills in the English Channel and is carrying out tasks in the Atlantic Ocean, Russian news agencies reported on Tuesday.The crew of the frigate, equipped with Zircon (Tsirkon) hypersonic anti-ship missiles, conducted counter-terrorism drills, repelling air and sea drone attacks of a mock enemy, Russian state agencies reported."The Northern Fleet frigate Admiral Golovko has completed its…
Russia Looks Into Nuclear-Powered Submarines as Alternative for Gas Export
Russia has begun designing nuclear-powered submarines to export liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the Arctic to Asia to try to nearly halve the journey time along the Northern Sea Route (NSR), a senior state official has said.Russia already uses nuclear-powered ice breakers to pave the way for such transport via the NSR, which runs along Russia's Arctic shores from Murmansk in the west to the Bering Strait in the east, a route Moscow sees as a faster alternative to the Suez Canal and has plans to develop.But Russia is suffering from a shortage of vessels able to battle thick Arctic ice…
Russia Designing Nuclear-powered Submarines to Transport Gas from the Arctic
Russia has begun designing nuclear-powered submarines to export liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the Arctic to Asia to try to nearly halve the journey time along the Northern Sea Route (NSR), a senior state official has said.Russia already uses nuclear-powered ice breakers to pave the way for such transport via the NSR, which runs along Russia's Arctic shores from Murmansk in the west to the Bering Strait in the east, a route Moscow sees as a faster alternative to the Suez Canal and has plans to develop.But Russia is suffering from a shortage of vessels able to battle thick Arctic ice…
US Reports Uptick in Russian, Chinese Navy Activity Near Alaska
The U.S. Coast Guard is watching an "uptick" in Chinese and Russian navy activity around Alaska and the northern Pacific but encounters to date have been very professional, a senior commander said on Friday.Vice Admiral Andrew J. Tiongson, U.S. Coast Guard Pacific Area Commander, noted on a call with regional reporters while visiting Japan that his country and Russia share a maritime boundary line between Alaska and the Russian Far East"Russian naval vessels, certainly we've seen an uptick in their presence in that particular region.
Ukraine Claims Responsibility for Offshore Explosion
Ukraine's navy and military intelligence have attacked and damaged a former offshore gas platform used by Russian forces in the Black Sea, the navy spokesman said on Saturday."The occupiers used this location for GPS spoofing to make civilian navigation dangerous. We cannot allow this to happen," Dmytro Pletenchuk said on Facebook.He posted a video taken at night showing an explosion on an offshore platform and the ensuing fire. He said that a half a day before the attack, Russian forces had stationed equipment and military personnel on the platform."There were no civilians there.
Russia Flexes Naval Muscle with Massive Drill Involving 300 Ships, 20,000 Sailors
Russia's navy began planned exercises involving most of its fleet in the Arctic and Pacific oceans as well and the Baltic and Caspian seas, the defense ministry said on Tuesday.Russia is considered by most military analysts to have the world's third most powerful navy after those of the United States and China, and Russia has a significant ballistic-missile nuclear submarine fleet.The Russian drills, which include 20,000 personnel and 300 ships, will test the readiness and capabilities of the navy at all levels…
Russian Navy Starts Drills Involving Most of Its Fleet
The Russian navy started planned exercises involving most of its fleet as well as 20,000 personnel and 300 ships, Russian news agencies reported on Tuesday, citing the defence ministry.The drills are to test the navy's military command bodies of three fleets as well as the Caspian Flotilla, TASS news agency reported. Russia's Navy comprises of four fleets, the Caspian flotilla and several task forces.The Northern Fleet in Russia's Arctic, the Pacific Fleet in the Pacific Ocean…
Finland Suspects Russian Vessel of Territorial Violation
Finland suspects a Russian vessel violated the Nordic country's territorial waters on Friday, the government said, in the latest incident to cloud relations between the two countries.The government said Friday's incident took place in the eastern Gulf of Finland."The Border Guard is investigating the incident and will provide further information as the investigation progresses," the Finnish defense ministry said in a statement.Finnish daily Helsingin Sanomat quoted border guard chief investigator Petter Stauffer as saying the ship was a seabed exploration vessel operating under the Russian nav
Ukrainian Spokesperson: Russia has Pulled All Vessels from Sea of Azov
A spokesperson for Ukraine's navy said on Wednesday that Russia had pulled all its vessels out of the Sea of Azov, a body of water connected to the Black Sea."There are no longer any Russian naval vessels in the Sea of Azov," the spokesperson, Dmytro Pletenchuk, wrote on Facebook.Ukrainian naval officials have said in recent months that successful attacks on targets in Russian-annexed Crimea and elsewhere in the Black Sea had forced the Russian navy to rebase its ships elsewhere.(Reuters - Reporting by Ron Popeski and Oleksander Kozhukhar; Editing by Leslie Adler)
How the Ukrainians – With No Navy – Defeated Russia’s Black Sea Fleet
Since the Russian invasion began in 2022, Ukraine has successfully resisted its opponents on many fronts, but its most surprising success came in a theater where few expected Ukraine to prevail: the Black Sea.In 2022, the consensus among military analysts was that Russian leader Vladimir Putin’s military would most likely crush Ukrainian forces in the air, on land and at sea. With a vast infusion of financial assistance and weapons from the U.S. and Western nations, Ukraine has, however, fought Russia to a standstill on land.
Kremlin Says It Sees NATO Warships in Black Sea as a Threat
The Kremlin said on Thursday that Russia would consider any plans to establish a permanent presence of NATO warships in the Black Sea as a threat, given the alliance's involvement in the Ukraine conflict.Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov made the remark when asked by reporters on a conference call about Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's new maritime security strategy.
China, Russia Kick Off Live-Fire Naval Exercises in South China Sea
China and Russia have begun live-fire naval exercises in the South China Sea, Russian and Chinese state media reported, with the two countries having strengthened military and trade ties in recent years following U.S. sanctions on both.The opening ceremony of the Russian-Chinese naval exercise 'Maritime Cooperation - 2024' took place in the Chinese port of Zhanjiang, the Russian defence ministry said on the Telegram messaging app.During their sea manoeuvres, the crews of ships…
Ukraine Says Russia is Losing Crimean Hub in Black Sea
The Russian navy's Black Sea Fleet has been forced to rebase nearly all its combat-ready warships from occupied Crimea to other locations, and its main naval hub is becoming ineffectual because of attacks by Kyiv, Ukraine's navy chief said.Vice-Admiral Oleksiy Neizhpapa said Ukrainian missile and naval drone strikes had caused heavy damage to the Sevastopol base, a logistics hub for repairs, maintenance, training and ammunition storage among other important functions for Russia."They were established over many decades, possibly centuries.
Two Russian Warships Sent on Training Mission to Asia-Pacific Waters, Interfax Reports
Two corvettes of the Russian navy's Pacific Fleet left the port of Vladivostok in Russia's Far East to carry out training missions in the Asia-Pacific region, the Interfax news agency cited the fleet's press service as saying on Monday."When leaving the main base of the fleet, the crews of the ships practiced emergency preparations for battle and sailing, and when passing through a narrow area, they conducted training in repelling a UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) raid of a mock enemy," the agency reported, citing the press service.The corvettes, the Rezky and the Gromky, will conduct a number o
Military Groups Say They Set Fire to Russian Warship
A Ukrainian military intelligence official said on Wednesday that a fire on a Russian warship in the Baltic Sea in April was caused by a joint operation conducted by his GUR agency and a pro-Kyiv Russian military group.On April 7, the Serpukhov missile ship stationed in Russia's Kaliningrad region was set on fire, the GUR intelligence agency said at the time. It did not claim responsibility earlier.GUR spokesperson Andriy Yusov told Reuters the operation was conducted in tandem with the Freedom of Russia Legion.
Russian Navy to Hold Drills in Pacific, Sea of Japan, Sea of Okhotsk
The Pacific Fleet of the Russian Navy will hold exercises June 18-28 in the waters of the Pacific Ocean, the Sea of Japan and the Sea of Okhotsk, TASS state news agency reported on Tuesday.The drills involve about 40 ships, boats and support vessels, around 20 naval aircraft and helicopters, including long-range anti-submarine aircraft Tu-142M3, Il-38 and Il-38N, as well as anti-submarine and search and rescue helicopters, TASS reported, citing the fleet's press service.(Reuters - Reporting by Lidia Kelly in Melbourne; Editing by Jacqueline Wong)
Russia Says West is Deaf to Moscow's Diplomatic Signals
Russia said on Thursday that the United States should not be nervous about Russian warships in Cuba but that the West appeared deaf to any diplomatic signals from Moscow and only took notice when the army or navy took action.A Russian navy frigate and a nuclear-powered submarine churned into Havana harbor on Wednesday, a stopover the U.S. and Cuba said posed no threat but which was widely seen as a Russian show of force as tensions rise over the Ukraine war.White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said there was no evidence of Russia transferring any missiles to Cuba…
Russian Warships Enter Havana Harbor Under Washington's Watchful Eye
Russian navy ships churned into Havana harbor on Wednesday, a stopover the U.S. and Cuba said posed no threat but which was widely seen as a Russian show of force as tensions rise over the Ukraine war.Small groups of fishermen and curious onlookers lined the Malecon seafront boulevard in light rain to welcome the ships as they passed the 400-year old Morro castle at the harbor's entrance.The first to arrive was a fuel ship, the Akademik Pashin and a tug, the Nikolay Chiker, while…
US Expecting Russian Naval Exercises in Caribbean this Summer
Russia plans to send combat vessels into the Caribbean region this summer as part of naval exercises that will likely include port calls in Cuba and possibly stops in Venezuela, a senior U.S. official said on Wednesday.The United States does not see the move involving a relatively small number of vessels and planes as threatening, but the U.S. Navy will monitor the exercises, the official told a small group of reporters.Tensions between the United States and Russia have increased since Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The official said Russian naval activity had ratcheted up because of U.S.