More than fifty Russian fighters, bombers and attack aircraft are involved in exercises over the Black Sea with missile launches and bombing, the press service of the Southern Military District (YuVO) reported.
According to the military, aircraft of the operational-tactical aviation of the Air Force and Air Defense Association and the naval aviation of the Black Sea Fleet will be involved in the exercises. These are Su-27SM and Su-30SM fighters, Su-24M and Su-34 bombers and Su-25SM3 attack aircraft. The aircraft during the exercise will carry out rocket launches and bombing at sea targets.
The Defense Ministry noted that the pilots of the 4th Army of the Air Force and Air Defense and the Black Sea Fleet “carry out the tasks of escorting naval strike groups and acting as part of reconnaissance strike complexes while ensuring security in the Black Sea.”
The military reported that during the exercise, Su-25SM3 attack aircraft from the Stavropol Territory were redeployed to the airfields of the Crimea. The Su-25SM3 squadron from Crimea has been relocated to the Ashuluk training ground in the Astrakhan region.
Earlier, the Southern Military District announced the transfer of formations of the 58th Combined Arms Army, which is stationed in the North Caucasus, for exercises in the Crimea.
On April 14, the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Federation announced the departure of a detachment of warships to the sea for training firing. Airplanes and helicopters of naval aviation and air defense of the Black Sea Fleet are also involved.
The detachment includes the Admiral Makarov frigate equipped with Kalibr cruise missiles, the Grayvoron and Vyshny Volochek small missile ships, as well as large landing ships, the Samum air cushion missile ship and the Ivan Golubets minesweeper.
The Southern Military District reported that 15 ships of the Caspian Flotilla were making the transition to the Black Sea for exercises. Among them are three artillery and eight landing boats, as well as support vessels.
On April 13, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said that Russia was taking measures in response to threats from NATO, during a control check, two armies and three airborne units were deployed to the western borders (brigades and divisions are called units in the RF Armed Forces).
The United States and European countries have expressed concern about the strengthening of the military grouping in Crimea and the movement of Russian troops near the border with Ukraine.
Russia urges not to consider the maneuvers of the Armed Forces near the border with Ukraine as a manifestation of aggression.
On April 15, it became known that the United States had changed its mind about sending two missile destroyers to the Black Sea. Earlier in Ankara, it was announced that the US Navy ships will come to the Black Sea on April 14 and 15 and will stay there until early May.
Rough translation from Russian Channel Report.
