Baltic Fleet Deployments - Wk 04/2021

January 25

Large scale combat readiness exercises have started in the Kaliningrad region which involve over 3.000 servicemen and 300 pieces of military equipment. The exercises are part of a multi-stage training program with the initial phase focused on the actions taken by the various sub-units. Later stages involve large scale units on company and battalion levels in coordination with the naval aviation regiment and air defense crews. The combat readiness exercises are reported to occur on a weekly basis. [1] [2]

January 26

The Russian Ministry of Defense announced that the berthing infrastructure in the port of Baltiysk will be modernized and updated by the end of 2021. In total, over 3km of infrastructure will be modernized and allow for the anchorage of various surface vessels such as patrol ships, corvettes, frigates and destroyer. Communication equipment at 16 of the 20 berthing places have already been modernized with new cables for communication and pipes for water supply being installed. Access roads towards the berthing places are also in the process of being repaired. [3]

January 28
A mine-counter measure exercise took place in the Baltic Sea which involved the minesweeper RFS Leonid Sobolev, Ropucha class landing vessel RFS Minsk and the Stereguschy class corvette RFS Soobrazitelny. The minesweeper was tasked in clearing a path through a hostile minefield and allow the passage of the landing vessel and the corvette. 
The final stage of the exercise involved the destruction of the floating mines through the use of the ship-mounted artillery systems. [4]

January 30
Ropucha class landing ship RFS Minsk held a mine laying exercise on the training ranges in the Baltic Sea. The LST laid 20 training mines on the bottom of the sea in order to set up a defensive minefield aimed to restrict the movement of submarines.
Following the mine laying exercise, the RFS Minsk held the necessary drills to protect the vessel and crew from a radiological contamination. [5]

January 31
The Russian Ministry of Defense reported that a tank training was completed in the Kaliningrad Region. Around 200 servicemen and 20 pieces of military equipment were involved in the exercise that saw tanks engaging over 50 stationary and moving targets with their T-72 main battle tanks.
The exercise also focused on using the anti-aircraft machine gun against low flying and ground targets. The crews also trained other tasks such as loading ammunition, moving between positions and providing reconnaissance. [6]

Ship crews are undergoing damage control training as part of their K-1 training course. Training took place at the special UTK Caspian complex which simulates the interior of a ship. Crew members are tasked to detect fires and leaks in this complex and tqke the necessary steps to extingiush the flames and repair the damage. [7]

Popular posts from this blog

Russian Naval deployments during the Ukraine War

Image
March 17, 2022 At least six Russian warships were observed near Odessa. The warships maintained their distance and operated on the horizon. March 16, 2022 Several vessels entered the port of Sevastopol including the patrol vessel Vasily Bykov. The Bykov was rumored to be struck and sunk by a Ukrainian grad MLRS barrage near Odessa on March 07 dough this was never officially confirmed.  The visual confirmation of the vessel entering the port of Sevastopol undamaged indicates that if an MLRS attack took place, it did not struck the Bykov. Ropucha class landing vessel Kondopoga of the northern fleet allegedly also entered the port of Sevastopol. March 15, 2022 Several Russian warships and landing ships were spotted on commercial satellite imagery during the morning hours. The vessels were heading in the direction of Odessa.  The vessel leading the formation of landing ships appears to be minesweeper with her sweeping array deployed. During the evening, around 90 missiles were reported fir
Read more

Russian forces in the Mediterranean - Wk42/2023

Image
Task Force Composition As reported by OSINT at the morning of Oct-21 Weekly Brief The task force continues to operate at sea with its maximum capacity it can deploy. Both corvettes are most likely covering the US naval deployments of the Gerald R. Ford carrier task force with fleet oiler Yelnya regularly sailing out of Tartus to refuel the vessels at sea. Daily Events October 14 Improved Kilo class submarine Krasnodar and the rescue tug Sergey Balk were visually observed passing through the Strait of Gibraltar and exiting the Mediterranean [ 1 ]. October 17 Satellite imagery of the port of Tartus only showed the fleet oiler Yelnya present inside the harbor [ 2 ]. October 18 A radio signal belonging to the fleet oiler Yelnya was intercepted, placing the vessel in a position of 34.9° North, 35,8° East; just outside the port of Tartus [ 3 ].
Read more

Russian forces in the Mediterranean - Wk41/2023

Image
Task Force Composition As reported by OSINT at the morning of Oct-14 Weekly Brief The Russian task force has been responding to the new situation in the Eastern Mediterranean and the arrival of a US Navy carrier task force in the region. AGI vessel Kildin is keeping track of the carrier movements. At the same time, both corvettes departed Tartus, support by the Amur class repair vessel PM-82. Both corvettes most likely form a counterbalance to the US Navy presence and project power is support of local allies though the projected combat power falls far short of the deployed US maritime power in this region. Improved Kilo class submarine Krasnodar has been steadily heading towards the Strait of Gibraltar, escorted by rescue tug Sergey Balk. Both vessels will most likely transit on October 14th during the night to prevent visual observation. Daily Events October 09 Fleet oiler Yelnya replenished the Momo class intelligence collection vessel Kildin in a postion halfway Crete and Mersa Matr
Read more