Baltic Fleet Deployments - Wk 44/2020
October 26
A Su-27 fighter aircraft was scrambled to intercept several NATO aircraft over the Baltic Sea. The aircraft are reported as a German P-3C Orion Maritime patrol aircraft and a US U-2S reconnaissance aircraft. The Su-27 escorted both aircraft until they turned away from Russian airspace, after which the Su-27 fighter aircraft was recalled to its airbase. [3] [4]
The Russian Ministry of Defense announced that 100 cadets have returned to Kaliningrad after completing a training course on board of the training ship RFs Smolny. The cadets, were embarked between October 3rd and 22nd. During this time, the RFS Smolny sailed from Sevastopol towards Kronstadt. The future officers of the watch practiced their navigation skills, including astronomical navigation, as well as navigation in restricted waters. [1]
Engineers of the armed forces in Kaliningrad reportedly defused several unexploded munitions dating back from the Second World War. A 203mm artillery shell was found and defused at the village of Bolshaya Polyana in the Gvardeisky urban district. Three 82mm mortar rounds were defused near the village of Loshchinka of the Gusev urban district and another mortar round with the same caliber was found around the 20 kilometer mark of the Chernyakhovsk-Sovetsk railway line.
As usual, the defused munitions were brought to a military training ground for subsequent destruction. [2]
October 27
The Karakurt class small missile ship RFS Odintsovo held an air defense exercise in the Baltic Sea in order to test her Pantsir-M air defense missile system. The test took place as part of her stat trails before being accepted in the Russian Navy. Su-27 fighter aircraft dropped M-6 targets which were engaged by the missile ships. The missile hip reportedly hit all of these targets with both missile systems as well as artillery gunfire. [5]
October 28
The Russian Ministry of Defense reported that the armed forces stationed in Kaliningrad have received 30 T-72B3M main battle tanks in 2020. These tanks were assigned to the Motor Rifle units of the army. [6]
October 29
Three Russian warships were spotted on commercial satellite image by Twitter used @Bottema37 while at anchor in front of the port of Baltiysk. The ships were identified as two Steregushchy class and one Vasily Bykov class corvettes. It is possible that one of the Steregushchy class corvettes was actually the Gremyaschy class corvette RFS Gremyaschy, though this was not confirmed independently. [10]
Iskander mobile ballistic missile systems were involved in a combat readiness check held in the Kaliningrad Region. The missile launchers were marched towards their launch positions in a manner that minimized detection. Once in place, the missiles were electronically launched against key infrastructure of a simulated hostile force. These infrastructures were identified as airports and command posts. Once the missiles were launched, the mobile launchers were moved to a secondary position in order to avoid being targeted in a retaliatory strike. [7] [9]
October 30
The Parchim class anti-submarine corvette RFS Kazanets, has been repaired following her collision with the Swiss-owned cargo ship Ice Rose on September 23. The collision took place south Øresund Bridge that spans the strait between Denmark and Sweden and damaged the bow section of the corvette. The vessel is reportedly ready to start training missions. Repairs took place at the 33rd Shipyard at Baltiysk and the Kronstadt marine plant. [12] [13] [14]
Russian forces station in Kaliningrad have started to service their vehicles and prepare them for the coming winter months. Around 1.500 tracked and wheeled vehicles will be serviced during the next weeks. [8]
October 31
Buyan-M class corvette RFS Zelenyy Dol, held simulated launches of Kalibr NK cruise missiles in the Baltic Sea. The vessel reportedly launched missiles in single and salvo modes against simulated enemy targets which included missile systems, airfields, troop concentrations and command posts. The exercise is part of the regular training program of the vessel. [15]
The first 20 recruits of the autumn call up have arrived in Kaliningrad. As a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, these conscripts will first have to spend two weeks in isolation in separate rooms and undergo a 10-day drug prophylaxis with antiviral drugs and multivitamins to prevent respiratory diseases and increase immunity. In total, over 3.000 new conscripts will join the Baltic Fleet and armed forces in Kaliningrad during this call up. [11]
November 01
Improved Kilo-class submarine RFS Stary Oskol held several deep-diving tests at an unspecified location in the Baltic Sea. the crew performed several training tasks at various depths, including the maximum depth of 190 meters. During the dive, the crews checked the operation of various systems and mechanisms on board of the submarine. Once the dive test was completed, the submarine returned to the surface. Rescue vessel Aleksin and several tug boats stood by to provide rescue in the case of an emergency. [16]
