Tel Aviv: Western intelligence systems have closely followed the recent “Ocean 2024” naval exercise, which was the largest naval exercise held by Russia since the Soviet era. The exercise concluded on September 16.
According to a special report in the website of the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI), the large exercise was performed simultaneously in the Pacific and Arctic Oceans, as well as the Mediterranean, Caspian, and Baltic Seas.
According to the website, the exercise involved the use of over 400 warships, submarines, and support vessels, as well as 125 naval aircraft, 7,500 units of advanced weaponry and hardware, and over 90,000 personnel.
“The systems used in the exercise include Ka-29 attack helicopters, BAL coastal missiles, Kh-35 anti-ship missiles, Oniks and Vulkan missiles, MiG-31BM interceptors, Il-38 and Tu-142 anti-submarine aircraft, Tu-22M3, Su-24, Su-30SM, Su-33, Il-28, Il-38N and Su-30SM2 bombers and fighters, 2M-3 automatic anti-aircraft guns, and more.”
According to the MEMRI website, Russian President Vladimir Putin said in a statement about the exercise that the United States is attempting to preserve its military and political domination at any cost, that its aggressive actions are an attempt to break the balance of power in the Asia-Pacific region, and that it is provoking an arms race.
“Notably, the exercise involved a small number of Chinese vessels and aircraft, and is the first of two joint Russia-China naval exercises planned for this month, with the second exercise, dubbed “Northern Interaction 2024,” planned to be held by China at the end of the month.”
Putin said, “For the first time in the last three decades, we are conducting such large-scale exercises at sea. They will be held simultaneously in the waters of the Pacific and Arctic Oceans, the Mediterranean, Caspian, and Baltic Seas.”
-The writer is an Israel-based freelance journalist. The views expressed are of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views of Raksha Anirveda
