Russian Warships Return After Patrolling 13,000 Km Of Pacific Ocean With Chinese Ships

Vessels from Russia’s Navy returned from over three-week joint patrolling the Pacific Ocean with China’s warships — manoeuvres that came very close to the West Coast of the US.

Warships belonging to Russia’s Pacific Fleet, with a detachment of China’s navy vessels, travelled over 7,000 nms via the Sea of Japan, the Bering Sea, the Sea of Okhotsk, and the Pacific Ocean, per Interfax news agency on Sunday.

During this patrol, the Russian-Chinese detachment also passed along Japan’s island of Hokkaido – a zone widely known in Russia as the Kurils. For Japan, the Northern Territories have long been at the core of decades of rising tension between the two neighbours.

Per reports, the Russian-Chinese warships circled a portion of the archipelago of the Aleutian Islands. Most of the Aleutian Islands belong to Alaska, but the Commander Islands close to the Kamchatka Peninsula belong to Russia.

In August, the Wall Street Journal reported that 11 Chinese and Russian vessels steamed quite close to the Aleutian Islands in an episode that seemed like the greatest flotilla to approach the US shores.

The vessels, however, never entered the territorial waters of the US, the newspaper mentioned, citing several US officials.

Some of Russia’s Pacific Fleet’s greatest warships took part in the exercise, per Interfax.

During the patrol, joint anti-aircraft and anti-submarine exercises were held. A search was executed for subs of a mock enemy with aircraft and helicopters of naval aviation from both sides. Per the news agency, a mock missile firing was executed at a detachment of mock enemy vessels.

In September 2022, China sent over 2,000 troops with 21 combat aircraft, 300 military vehicles, and three warships to participate in a joint exercise with Russia.

The Vostok 2022 (East 2022) exercise was carried out in many locations in Russia’s Far East and the Sea of Japan. It reportedly involved over 50,000 troops and 5,000 weapons units – including 60 warships and 140 aircraft, per Russia’s defence ministry.

References: oodaloop.com, ANI

Russian Warships Return After Patrolling 13,000 Km Of Pacific Ocean With Chinese Ships appeared first on Marine Insight – The Maritime Industry Guide

Source: Maritime Shipping News