SEVASTOPOL (Sputnik) – Warships from Russia’s Black Sea Fleet have begun exercises with its anti-missile defense systems and naval aviation to deflect cruise missile attacks, a source in the Crimean Naval Base told RIA Novosti on Thursday.
During the exercises a Su-30 (Flanker) multirole jet fighter is simultating the course of a cruise missile.
The naval exercises include four anti-ship cruisers and anti-missile ships.
In late October 2014, a military source told RIA Novosti that Russia had created a full-fledged air defense system in Crimea. The source said that the air force stationed in Crimea is capable of quickly and effectively responding to potential air attacks.
3 December 2014, 07:30 GMT
The Russian Black Sea Fleet is headquarted in the Crimean port Sevastopol, not far from NATO members Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey. In January, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg announced plans to boost the bloc's military presence in eastern Europe, also increasing the number of warships in the Black Sea.
Moscow has repeatedly expressed concern over NATO's expansion toward its eastern borders.
