Baltic Fleet Deployments - Wk 25/2021

 Daily Events

June 21

Tank crews stationed in Kaliningrad held a night time combat training exercise which saw the use of the tank carousel. Around 100 tankers, manning 30 T-72B3M tanks, took part in the exercise during which they engaged targets between 200 and 2.200 meters. The amount of tanks used in the exercise suggest a battalion size unit was involved [1].

The naval aviation regiment held several tactical flight exercise which saw the use of around 20 helicopters, including Mi-24 and Mi-8 as well as Ka-27 and Ka-27PS helicopters. The training focused on the regular tasks performed by the naval aviation regiment such as engaging ground troops and command posts, conduct reconnaissance and searching for submarines [2].

June 23

The Russian Ministry of Defense reported that helicopter training continued for the naval avaition regiment. Mi-8 and Mi-24 helicopters fired around 50 unguided rockets and expended over a thousand 30mm shells against simulated enemy positions, parked aircraft and convoys. Ka-27 and Ka-27PS shipborne helicopters continued their anti-submarine training and engaged targets with missiles, rockets and bombs. All exercises reportedly took place both during daytime and nighttime. [3]

The report also mentioned that 20 helicopter crews were involved. This suggest that the same crews which trained on June 21 are still training.

June 24

An anti-sabotage exercise was held at the naval base at Baltiysk which saw counter sabotage forces guarding the base against two groups of simulated hostile saboteurs. A first group of simulated saboteurs was engaged with preventive grenade dropping. Combat divers then engaged a second group with underwater rifles and conducted a sweep for planted explosives [4].

Ka-27 helicopters held an anti-submarine warfare exercise with the Improved Kilo class submarine RFS Volkhov playing the part of enemy submarine. The exercise involved the search for, tracking of and engaging the submarine with practice bombs and torpedo's. Around 10 Ka-27 and Ka-27M helicopters were involved in the exercise [5].

June 25

Mortar crews trained a so-called 'Nomadic' tactic during a training exercise at the Pravdinsky training ground in the Kaliningrad region. The tactic involves firing from mortars installed on KamAZ transport trucks and then quickly take up new firing positions. The mortar crews reportedly struck around 30 simulated targets at ranges between 700 to 2.500 meters [6].

An electronic warfare exercise was held at the Pugachevo training ground, in the Kaliningrad region near the town of Gusev. The exercise was aimed to neutralize hostile unmanned aerial vehicles [7].

June 26

Steregushchy class corvettes RFS Stereguschy and RFS Soobrazitelny, supported by their Ka27 shipborne helicopters searched, detected and destroyed a simulated hostile submarine at an unspecified location in the Baltic Fleet training areas. The role of the enemy submarine was played by a Kilo class submarine [8]. It is very likely that the submarine involved is the RFS Volkhov who took part in anti-submarine warfare exercises on June 24.

A counter-terrorism exercise took place within an unspecified regiment in the motorized division stationed in Kaliningrad. In total, around 100 military personnel were involved in the exercise which saw a group of terrorists, played by members of a reconnaissance company, attempted to seize control of a communication center. The exercise stated with one group attacking a checkpoint as a diversionary attack while a second group attempted to blow up a concrete fence. Anti-terrorism units of the regiment were alarted and reportedly surrounded and disabled the terrorist groups [9].

The Russian Ministry of Defense announced the rough figures of the ammunition expenditure by 20 helicopter crews that have been training this week. The 20 helicopters started training on June 21 and conducted over 50 sorties in 15 different tactical missions [10]. Mi-8 and Mi-24 helicopters focused on supporting ground troops in Kaliningrad while the Ka-27 helicopters worked out the various task they perform in support of the Baltic Fleet.

June 27

Improved Kilo class submarine RFS Magadan left Saint Petersburg and started her factory sea trails in the Baltic Sea. The test are expected to last 20 days [11] [12].