Baltic Fleet Deployments - Wk 26/2021

Weekly Brief

With the majority of the Baltic Fleet stationed near Saint Petersburg and preparing for the Navy Day parade on July 25, no naval activity was reported throughout the week. Land forces stationed a Kaliningrad continued their summer training program with a reported emphasis on how to operated tanks, infantry fighting vehicles and trucks. Conscripts are being brought up to standard so that they can participate in the Zapad-21 military exercise.

Daily Events

June 28
Several vessels of the Northern Fleet have left Severomorsk and are headed for the Baltic Sea where they are to arrive in the beginning of July [1]. The vessels, identified as the Slava class cruiser RFS Marshal Utsinov, Udaloy class destroyer RFS Admiral Kulakov, landing vessel RFS Pyotr Morguniv and the rescue tug Altai, will take part in the Navy Day at Saint Petersburg and train with the Baltic Fleet.

June 29
A large scale multi-day exercise has started at Kaliningrad, lead by the corps commander. The exercise involves around 2.000 soldiers and 200 pieces of military equipment. The exercise aims to improve the combat readiness and involves several phases including a march to the combat area, mobile defensive operations, the organization of counterattacks followed by a withdrawal phase and restoring combat ccapbailities of the subunits [2].



Basic military training for new conscripts has started in the Kaliningrad Region with new conscripts participating in classes involving tactical training, topography, weapons training and medical courses. The first small arms firing classes are reported to start in the near future. The goal is prepare these new recruits for their combat roles by the start of the Zapad-2021 military exercise [3].

Around 100 servicemen assigned to the tank formations were involved in a training on the shooting ranges in the Kaliningrad Region. The training is set up to improve the quality, rate of fare and effective range of the tank crews. About 20 T-72B3M tanks were used during the training [4].

June 30
Several mechanic-drivers operating the BMP-2 infantry fighting vehicle are training on how to overcome water obstacles. The training takes place at the Vododrome [5].

July 01
Pilots of the Baltic Fleet naval aviation took part in night time combat exercises as part of their regular training program. The pilots trained take-offs and landings as well as striking ground targets. The aircraft involved were reported as Su-27 and Su30SM fighter aircraft and Su-24 bomber aircraft.
Su-27 aircraft were also involved in nighttime air combat training with An-26 transport aircraft playing the role of the enemy [6].

Tank crews trained in attacking simulated enemy positions at the Pravdinsky training ground near Kaliningrad. The tank crews, manning T-72B3M main battle tanks, were ordered to move around defensive positions held by enemy forces and strike the enemy positions from the rear. This maneuver required the tanks to move 40 kilometers in order to bypass the simulated enemy forces.
Around 300 servicemen were involved in this exercise [7]. 

July 02
Around 300 servicemen, most of them driver-mechanics, trained in operating the BMP-2 and BMP-3 Infantry Fighting Vehicles during special classes in Kaliningrad [8] [9].

Several Su-27 and Su-30SM fighter aircraft of the naval aviation regiment left Kaliningrad and headed for Karelia. There, these aircraft will train to participate in the Navy Day celebrations at Saint Petersburg on July 25 [10].

July 03
Several drivers of wheeled vehicles underwent practical training on how to maintain and prepare their trucks when they are in base. These tasks include cleaning, lubricating, fitting tires and operating compressors [11].

July 04
Over 300 soldiers completed a monthly training program on how to operate grenade throwers such as the AGS-17 system. Each soldiers conducted 20 test firing exercises during the course [12].

Several tank crews started training on how to drive T-72B3M main battle tanks through water obstacles five meters deep. The training takes place near the town of Gusev as part of the summer training program [13].

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