Baltic Fleet Deployments - Wk 27/2021
Weekly Brief
Aside from the influx of several Northern Fleet warships, naval activity remained largely absent in the Baltic Sea as the Baltic Fleet is preparing for the Navy Day parade on July 25. The first training session for this parade started by the end of the week in the Gulf of Finland.
Submarine operations were reported in the Gotland Deep on July 08 with at least one Kilo class submarines. Over the past weeks, the two Pacific Fleet Improved Kilo class submarines have been at sea for training before being sent from the Baltic Sea to the Pacific Ocean.
Training exercises in Kaliningrad are at a normal level as the new conscripts are being trained up to meet the necessary standard. once the quality of the troops increase, the exercises will become larger and more complex.
Daily Events
July 05
Oscar-II class nuclear submarine K-266 Orel passed through the Great Belt bridge and entered the Baltic Sea at 08:52 local time [1]. The submarine will take part in the Navy Day parade at Saint Petersburg together with other Northern Fleet submarines. These other submarines are reported as the Borei-A class SSBN Knyaz Vladimir and the Akula class attack submarine Vepr [2].
July 06
Borei-A class SSBN Knyaz Vladimir and Udaloy class destroyer RFS Vice Admiral Kulakov entered the Baltic Sea during the morning hours. Passage underneath the Great Belt Bridge took place between 07:48 and 07:57 local time [3]. Both vessels are heading towards Saint Petersburg for the Navy Day parade.
Slava class cruiser RFS Marshal Ustinov is reported 25 nautical miles north of Skagen, Denmark. The cruiser is heading towards the Baltic Sea [4].
A mortar battery trained at the Pravdinsky training ground in Kaliningrad. The crews deployed the 120mm Sani mortars during an exercise which aimed to destroy a simulated convoy of hostile conventional forces. 60 soldiers supported by 20 pieces of military equipment engaged around 30 targets at distances of up to 4.500 meters [5].
Over 150 driver-mechanics started their training on how to operate their BMP-2s while crossing water barriers. Training starts with theoretic courses on safety and emergency procedures before practical training starts. Practical training will be held on the Pugachevo and Pravdinsky training grounds [6].
July 07
Northern Fleet Slava class cruiser RFS Marshal Ustinov passed the Great Belt Bridge at 0625Z and entered the Baltic Sea. Akula class submarine RFS Vepr also passed the Great Belt Bridge at 0633Z [7]. Both vessels are heading towards Saint Petersburg.
Pilots of the Naval Aviation regiment trained both over the Baltic Sea as in the Kaliningrad airspace. Su-24 bombers trained in providing close air support for ground forces while Su-27 fighter aircraft trained combat maneuvers and air-to-air combat. In total, more then ten aircraft were involved [8].
July 08
Slava class cruiser RFS Marshal Ustinov was reported 23 nautical miles southeast of Bornholm Island around 0700Z. The vessel is shadowed by the Swedish command vessel P04 Carlskrona [9].
An Improved Kilo class submarine was spotted by the Lithuanian armed forces in their exclusive economic zone [10], suggesting Russian submarine operations in the Gotland Deep, west of Ventspils [11]. The identity of the vessel was not confirmed but both Pacific Fleet Kilo class submarines RFS Volkhov and RFS Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky are undergoing sea trails in the Baltic Sea.
An unidentified Russian Kilo class submarine of the Northern Fleet passed the Great Belt Bridge around 0748Z and entered the Baltic Sea [12].
Two Su-24 bombers performed a training flight over the Baltic Sea [13]. Both aircraft flew close to Lithuanian airspace, prompting NATO aircraft to intercept and escort them [14].
Around 700 servicemen are deployed at the Gvardeisky training ground in Kaliningrad to start the training of the reconnaissance units assigned to the Baltic Fleet. The first two weeks will see the servicemen study their reconnaissance equipment followed by practical exercises. A final control exercise is scheduled for September [15].
TvZvezda reported that Oscar-II class submarine RFS Orel arrived in the Gulf of Finland [16]. This was later confirmed by the Russian Ministry of Defense [17].
July 09
Borei-A class SSBN Knyaz Vladimir entered the Gulf of Finland and arrived at the position where she can prepare her participation in the Navy Day Parade [18].
Over 20 live-firing missions were observed at the Pravdinsky training ground in the Kaliningrad region during which artillerymen struck ground targets with the Msta-S self-propelled artillery system. UAV were used to spot targets and correct fire. The exercise involved over 200 soldiers and was held at the battalion level with over 40 pieces of military equipment being deployed [19].
July 10
Akula class nuclear attack submarine RFS Vepr arrived in the Gulf of Finland [20].
Engineers blew up a road bridge spanning the Lava river at a training ground near Gusev as part of a tactical exercise. They also mined the approaches to the bridge and a coastal area where a simulated enemy had landed. Mi-24 gunships provided air cover for the engineers during their training [21].
Around 50 BTR-82A crews are undergoing combat training in the Kaliningrad Region. The crews are training on how to drive and fire their vehicles on rough terrain and afloat. The training is divided in several stages, going from individual training to being part of a landing party [22].
