Russia, China Kick Off Joint Naval Drills in Qingdao
(MENAFN) Russia and China formally launched their annual joint naval exercise, Maritime Interaction-2026, the Russian Defense Ministry announced Monday.
According to the ministry's statement, an opening ceremony was held at a Chinese naval base in the port city of Qingdao, drawing commanders from Russian Navy vessels and the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy, alongside officers from the joint command headquarters.
Command of the exercise falls to Rear Admiral Sergei Sinko of Russia and Rear Admiral Qiu Wencheng of China, the ministry said. Speaking to participants, Sinko described the annual drills as defensive in nature, emphasizing they are not aimed at any third country.
Once the ceremony wrapped up, officers from the joint headquarters and ship commanders moved into discussions on tactical operations at sea and the procedures for executing the planned drills, per the ministry's statement.
Chinese state media verified the exercise's launch, reporting that the two nations kicked off the "Joint Sea-2026" naval drills at a military port in Qingdao, located in eastern Shandong province. Per China Bugle, the Chinese military's official social media outlet, the eight-day operation unfolds across three stages: assembling forces, harbor-based planning, and operations conducted at sea.
Russia's contribution to the drills includes the missile cruiser Varyag, the frigate Surovy, the large submarine Ufa, and the rescue vessel Igor Belousov. On the Chinese side, participating ships include the destroyers Kaifeng and Anshan, the frigate Wuhu, the supply ship Kekexilihu, the submarine rescue vessel Yangchenghu, and a single submarine.
Day one saw both navies run through command and tactical coordination drills, as the joint command engaged in what was described as in-depth discussion on the central objectives for the at-sea phase ahead.
Moving forward, participating warships will head to waters near Qingdao to carry out drills covering joint reconnaissance, air and missile defense, and weapons deployment.
The exercise, set to continue through July 13 in the Yellow Sea, forms part of the two militaries' annual cooperation framework and is intended to jointly address security challenges while reinforcing regional peace and stability.
According to the ministry's statement, an opening ceremony was held at a Chinese naval base in the port city of Qingdao, drawing commanders from Russian Navy vessels and the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy, alongside officers from the joint command headquarters.
Command of the exercise falls to Rear Admiral Sergei Sinko of Russia and Rear Admiral Qiu Wencheng of China, the ministry said. Speaking to participants, Sinko described the annual drills as defensive in nature, emphasizing they are not aimed at any third country.
Once the ceremony wrapped up, officers from the joint headquarters and ship commanders moved into discussions on tactical operations at sea and the procedures for executing the planned drills, per the ministry's statement.
Chinese state media verified the exercise's launch, reporting that the two nations kicked off the "Joint Sea-2026" naval drills at a military port in Qingdao, located in eastern Shandong province. Per China Bugle, the Chinese military's official social media outlet, the eight-day operation unfolds across three stages: assembling forces, harbor-based planning, and operations conducted at sea.
Russia's contribution to the drills includes the missile cruiser Varyag, the frigate Surovy, the large submarine Ufa, and the rescue vessel Igor Belousov. On the Chinese side, participating ships include the destroyers Kaifeng and Anshan, the frigate Wuhu, the supply ship Kekexilihu, the submarine rescue vessel Yangchenghu, and a single submarine.
Day one saw both navies run through command and tactical coordination drills, as the joint command engaged in what was described as in-depth discussion on the central objectives for the at-sea phase ahead.
Moving forward, participating warships will head to waters near Qingdao to carry out drills covering joint reconnaissance, air and missile defense, and weapons deployment.
The exercise, set to continue through July 13 in the Yellow Sea, forms part of the two militaries' annual cooperation framework and is intended to jointly address security challenges while reinforcing regional peace and stability.
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