MOSCOW, September 15 (RIA Novosti) - The ships of the Russian Pacific Fleet are starting naval battle practice as part of an unannounced combat readiness check of the Eastern Military District forces, according to the press service of the Russian Defense Ministry.
"Tactical strike groups of missile, antisubmarine and mine sweeping ships in different formations of the Pacific Fleet practice naval combat with surface action groups of a simulated enemy in the Sea of Okhotsk and the Sea of Japan," the press service said in a statement.
The ships are to practice different kinds of torpedo, gun and mortar firing, as well as mine laying and sweeping, and air defense.
Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered snap combat readiness drills in the Eastern Military District starting September 11.
Air defense and military units were put on full combat alert from 10 a.m. Moscow time [06:00 GMT] on Thursday. According to the Defense Ministry, a number of the district's airborne units are to carry out combat readiness drills on the Kuril Islands, near the city of Anadyr in the Chukotka Autonomous Area, and on the island of Sakhalin.
In August, an unannounced inspection of the Eastern Military District's combat readiness took place and was a success. During the inspection, the district's coastal troops carried out vehicle marches and practiced air and harbor defense during a coastal defense simulation.
The current readiness check is taking place from September 11 to 18.
