MOSCOW (Sputnik) – A group of warships from the Russian and Chinese navies will ply the Bosporus Straits on Thursday and cross into the Mediterranean Sea to hold joint military exercises, a spokesman for the Russian Defense Ministry’s Naval press service said.
“It’s planned that tomorrow morning the ships will begin crossing the Black Sea zone into the Bosporus and Dardanelles straits,” Capt. 1st Rank Igor Dygalo said.
The Sea Coopeeration-2015 exercise will run until May 21. A total of nine ships from Russia and China are taking part in the first drill of its kind to happen in the Mediterranean.
The naval drill will include live-fire exercises in the strategic sea that connects Europe, Africa and the Middle East.
The drills' goal has been stated as deepening friendly cooperation between China and Russia and strengthening their combat ability in repelling naval threats.
