Russia Concludes Key Naval Exercises in Caspian Sea

(MENAFN) Russia's Defense Ministry announced Thursday that the Caspian Flotilla has wrapped up a series of command and staff drills focused on safeguarding maritime economic assets and securing vital shipping corridors in the Caspian Sea.

The large-scale exercises, launched on September 14 under the leadership of Rear Admiral Oleg Zverev, were designed to assess how effectively naval forces could work together to defend critical infrastructure and ensure navigational safety, according to an official statement by the Russian Defense Ministry.

As part of the training, Russian naval units staged combat scenarios involving simulated attacks by enemy vessels targeting both military installations and civilian infrastructure on Russian territory. A designated tactical group responded with artillery fire, using A-190 100-mm naval guns to neutralize the threats.

Additional drills tested the fleet’s response to assaults by unmanned surface boats and drones. Naval personnel engaged simulated targets with heavy machine gun fire while deploying PK-10 shipborne systems to generate electronic interference.

Night operations included anti-sabotage exercises at an unsecured anchorage. Crews carried out preemptive defensive actions using RGD-5 hand grenades and DP-61 anti-sabotage grenade launchers to repel potential underwater incursions.

In total, more than 15 combat and auxiliary vessels based in Astrakhan participated in the operation, reinforcing the flotilla’s strategic readiness in the region.

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