Russian navy starts massive drills involving most of fleet

Putin orders exercises after forced withdrawal from Black Sea

- MARYAM ZAKIR-HUSSAIN

Russia has launched massive naval drills after it was forced to pull back resources from the Black Sea thanks to repeated Ukrainian drone strikes. The country’s navy began planned exercises involving most of its fleet in the Arctic and Pacific oceans as well as the Baltic and Caspian seas, the defence ministry said.

The Russian drills, which include 20,000 personnel and 300 ships, will test the readiness and capabilities of the navy at all levels. It comes after repeated Ukrainian strikes forced Russia to withdraw its Black Sea Fleet warships from bases in occupied Crimea and all of its vessels out of the Sea of Azov, a body of water connected to the Black Sea.