Russia to continue joint military exercises with China - Shoigu
MOSCOW. June 1 (Interfax-AVN) - The Russian-Chinese exercise Naval Interaction 2015 has shown a high level of the participants' coordination and the practice of joint combat training exercises with the Chinese People's Liberation Army will continue, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu has said.
"The Russian-Chinese joint naval exercise Naval Interaction 2015, which involves Black Sea fleet vessels led by the guard missile-carrying cruiser Moskva, became an important part of the combat training. We intend to continue joint operative and combat training exercises with our Chinese colleagues," Shoigu told an intercom meeting in the Russian National Defense Management Center on Monday.
"The training generally demonstrated a high level of interaction between Russian and Chinese sailors. All combat training tasks were fulfilled with good and excellent results," Shoigu said.
The Russian defense minister said the joint naval group practiced joint actions to escort vessels, protect navigation and fishing, and assist vessels in distress.
The vessels also engaged in artillery firing practice and depth charge bombing.
The joint naval group, which operated in the Mediterranean on may 11-21, included the guard missile cruiser Moskva, the guard ship Ladny, the air-cushion missile carrying ship Samum, the large landing ship Alexander Shabalin, the large landing ship Alexander Otrakovsky, the MB-31 tugboat, the Linyin and Weifang frigates and the Weishanhu supply ship.