2023-07-20 11:38:12
Russia confirmed on Thursday that naval exercises with China were beginning in the waters of the Sea of Japan. Chinese and Russian warships joined forces for “Northern Interaction 2023,” led by the People’s Liberation Army’s Northern Theater Command. The joint maneuvers will last until Sunday, July 23.
According to the United States Naval Institute (USNI), which collects the news, the Chinese Surface Action Group (SAG) is made up of five ships: the destroyers CNS Guiyang (119) and CNS Qiqihar (121), the frigates CNS Zaozhuang (542) and CNS Rizhao (598) and the fleet tanker CNS Taihu (889). As for the Surface Action Group (SAG) of the Russian Navy, it is made up of the destroyers RFS Admiral Panteleyev (548) and RFS Admiral Tributs (564) and the corvettes RFS Gremyashchiy (337) and RFS Hero of the Russian Federation Aldar Tsydenzhapov (339).
“The main objective of these exercises is to strengthen naval cooperation between the Russian Federation and the People’s Republic of China, as well as support stability and peace in the Asia-Pacific region,” the Pacific Fleet stressed in a statement collected by EFE.
In the USNI they emphasize that Rear Admiral Valery Kazakov, commander of the Primorsky Flotilla of the Pacific Fleet of the Russian Navy, is in command of the Russian SAG and acts as vice commander of the exercise. According to the “PLA Daily”, Kazakov and his staff boarded the Qiqihar, which will act as the command ship. Land planes from both countries will also participate.
Likewise, as EFE points out, the “North/Interaction-2023” exercises include simulations of anti-submarine combat and naval combat, protection of routes and communications both at sea and in airspace, and joint artillery firing practices.
This same Saturday, the Ministry of National Defense of China on Saturday already warned of the naval drills. The aim of the joint exercises is to “safeguard the security of strategic sea lanes” and are designed to further enhance the coordination capacity of the two militaries and strengthen their capabilities to jointly ensure regional peace and stability, as well as respond to various security challenges.
#joint #military #maneuvers #Russia #China #Sea #Japan