Naval Exercise July Spring - July 2025

The Russian Navy held a major naval exercise called "July Storm" in the period between July 23 and July 27 which involved the participation of all its fleets, except the Black Sea Fleet. The purpose of the exercise, as stated by the Russian Navy, was to test the readiness of its fleets in 'non standard operations', the use of long range weapons, unmanned systems, and the use of advanced and modern weapons.

From an operational point of view, the exercise involved vessels moving to their combat areas and engage in anti-submarine operations, set up base defense, and defend areas of maritime and economic importance. Simulated air and naval attacks had to be repelled with an emphasis on drone warfare.

Daily Events

July 23

Russian media reports the start of operation 'July Storm' link.

Baltic Fleet

A battalion sized unit of naval infantry or around 300 soldiers, were deployed to the Khmelevka training grounds for a coastal defense exercise. During the march to the training area, the unit had to fend off a simulated ambush link.

Pacific Fleet

Gremyashchy class corvette Gremyashchy held an anti-maritime drone exercise while being moored in an unprotected location. Simulated naval drones were approaching and attacking the vessel, with the crew manning machineguns and small arms in order to repel the simulated attack link.

July 24

Northern Fleet

The Russian Ministry of Defense reports that the goal of the naval exercise for the Northern Fleet is to deploy an Artic Expeditionary Group aimed to protect coastal infrastructure at the Northern Sea Route. The fleet will also be tasked to defend its own basing areas link.

Minesweepers Kolomna, Kotelnich, Yadrin and Solovetsky Junga were deployed to perform mine counter measure tasks and escort the sortie of the Northern Fleet as part of the exercise link.

A detachment of warships was deployed at sea. This detachment included the Slava class cruiser Marshal Ustinov, the Udaloy class destroyers Admiral Levchenko and Severomorsk, Gorshkov class frigate Admiral Golovko and the Grisha class corvettes Yunga and Snezhnogorsk. The task force repelled a simulated airstrike with the use of live firing of air defense missiles and gunnery systems against simulated air targets link.

Baltic Fleet

A base defense exercise took place at Kaliningrad and Krohnstadt with Raptor patrol boats engaging USVs of a simulated enemy force. The drones were engaged with ship mounted weapons and soldiers equipped with AK12 riffles. The drones were engaged with the Raptor patrol craft either on the move or laying still.
Once completed, several vessels departed the naval base. A video of the exercise shows the Parachim class corvette Alexsin, Tarantul class missile boat Morshansk link.

Pacific Fleet

Gremyashchy class corvette Gremyashchy held an anti-submarine exercise off the coast of Kamchatka. The corvette launched a anti-submarine missile against a simulated enemy submarine during the exercise link.

Patrol boats and Mi-8 and Ka-27PS helicopters were involved in a base defense drill aimed to neutralize a simulated USV strike near the maritime entrance to Vladivostok link.

July 25

Northern Fleet

Udaloy class destroyer Admiral Levchenko held gunnery exercises near the Rybachy Peninsula, engaging simulated ground targets on the peninsula. The exercise was followed by an air defense exercise against simulated air targets with the use of missiles and gunnery systems as well as electronic warfare systems link.

Oscar-II class guided missile submarine Orel departed for the Barents Sea link. The vessel will be tasked to engage a simulated naval task force from an underwater position link.

Baltic Fleet

Minesweepers Aleksandr Obukhov and Vasily Polyakov engaged in mine countermeasure exercises by clearing a simulated minefield made up by training mines. Around 20 training mines were detected during the exercise. The exercise was completed with gunnery exercises against simulated floating mines and a simulated USV attack link.

Pacific Fleet

The Pacific Fleet conducted a missile strike against a simulated naval task force operating in the Sea of Japan. The missile strike was delivered by Vulcan missiles fired by the Slava class cruiser Varyag, Moskit missiles launched by the Tarantul class missile boats R-18 and R-20 as well as the use of Bastion coastal missile defense systems which fired a Onyx cruise missile from the coast of Primorsky   Krai link.

July 26

Northern Fleet

Six Su-33 aircraft of the Northern Fleet's naval aviation regiments struck simulated enemy positions at the Lumbovsky training ground on the Kola Peninsula link.

An anti-submarine exercise was held involving naval helicopters, Il-38 maritime patrol aircraft and two surface action groups. The exercise took place at the Barents Sea and saw the use of anti-submarine rockets and depth charges link.

Baltic Fleet

The Baltic Fleet used two new USVs to destroy a simulated naval target of the coast of Kaliningrad. Several warships were present in the area to monitor and shield the exercise link.

Pacific Fleet

An antisubmarine task force, composed of the corvette Gremyashchiy, the Grisha class anti-submarine corvettes  Ust-Ilimsk, MPK-82, and MPK-107 were deployed at Avacha Bay. The vessels were tasked to detect and engage a simulated hostile submarine in coordination with Ka-27 naval helicopters and Il-38 maritime patrol aircraft link.

Caspian Flotilla

Buyan-M class missile boat Typhoon used its Pantsir-M air defense system to intercept a Uran anti-ship missile that was heading towards the ship. The cruise missile was fired by a Bal coastal missile system earlier. The missile was detected by radar and successfully engaged by the air defense system link.

Buyan-M class missile corvettes Tucha, Amur and Uglich engaged surface and air targets of a simulated enemy with their gun systems link.

Gepard class frigate Dagestan held an air defense exercise, using its Palash anti-aircraft system link.

July 27

Northern Fleet

A rescue exercise was held with the Ropucha class landing vessel Aleksandr Otrakovskiy playing the role of vessel in distress. Several rescue tugs were deployed to assist the vessel and aid in damage control link link.

Four MiG-29K and an unspecified number of Su-33 fighters were deployed to engage a simulated UAV attack over the Barents Sea. The fighters engaged the simulated drones with the use of air-to-air guided missiles link.

Baltic Fleet

Patrol vessel Viktor Velikiy fired her TOR-M2 missile system in order to intercept a Uran anti-ship missile fired at her by the corvette Stoiky link.

Pacific Fleet

Udaloy class destroyers Marshal Shaposhnikov and Admiral Tributs held an air defense exercise, followed by Slava class cruiser Varyag firing on a simulated hostile amphibious task force link.

Caspian Flotilla

Gepard class frigate Dagestan and Buyan-M class missile corvettes Tucha, Amur and Uglich repeated their naval exercises of the previous day link.