Russian, Chinese warships come to area of Joint Sea 2015 navy drills

MOSCOW, May 17. /TASS/. The Russia-China joint group of warships is formed in the Mediterranean Sea, where the drills’ active phase is beginning, Russian Navy Deputy Commander-in-Chief, Vice-Admiral Alexander Fedotenkov told TASS on Sunday.

"The Russian and Chinese warships have come to the area of the Joint Sea 2015 navy drills," he said. "They have replenished stocks and are drifting at designated points."

Headquarters of the Russian-Chinese group is on board the Moskva guided missile cruiser, he said.

"The Russian-Chinese drills are not aimed at third parties and the task is to improve understanding between the navy of two major sea countries in stability, fighting new threats and challenges in the sea," he added.

In the morning, captains were briefed on security measures.

The Joint Sea 2015 drills involve nine warships, including the Linyi and Weifang frigates and a support vessel from the Chinese navy. Russia’s navy will be represented by the Moskva guided missile cruiser, the Ladny escort ship, the Alexander Otrakovsky and Alexander Shabalin large amphibious assault ships, the Samum missile-carrying hovercraft and a salvage tug.

Reports from the joint command of the combat ships’ grouping on the ships are being delivered in real-time mode to the headquarters of the joint command of the exercises located at the Divnomorskoye coordination centre near the Russian Black Sea port of Novorossiysk to Russian Navy Deputy Commander-in-Chief, Vice-Admiral Alexander Fedotenkov and Chinese Navy Deputy Commander-in-Chief, Vice-Admiral Du Czinchen.

The Joint Sea 2015 exercises will involve about 10 warships from the Russian and Chinese navies, Russia's Defence Ministry said.

The drills’ results will be due on May 21, at the headquarters of the united command in Divnomorskoye (on the Black Sea in Russia’s Krasnodar Territory), Russian Navy Deputy Commander-in-Chief, Vice-Admiral Alexander Fedotenkov said.