Vladimir Putin said that the first stage of the surprise inspection of the Pacific Fleet was held at a high level.

"The first stage of the surprise inspection really took place at a very high level. I want to express my gratitude to everyone who organized this work," the president said at a meeting with Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu.

The President noted that Russia today has "clear priorities for the use of armed forces." As the head of state noted, first of all, this concerns the Ukrainian direction.

At the same time, the president stressed, the tasks of developing the fleet, including in the Pacific theater, "have not been canceled, not removed."

"Therefore, I ask you to continue this work, of course, to pay attention to the development and preparation of similar events in other fleets. And among other things, of course, the forces of the fleet in its individual components, of course, can be used in conflicts in any direction," the head of state said.

Recall that at 09:00 Vladivostok time, the Pacific Fleet was alerted and began to bring it to the highest degree of combat readiness in accordance with Shoigu's order.

As the minister noted then, the main purpose of this test is to increase the ability of the armed forces to solve the tasks of repelling the aggression of a potential enemy from ocean and sea directions.

At a meeting with President, Shoigu said that the final stage of a surprise check of the Pacific Fleet would begin on April 18.

  • Shoigu said that the final stage of the surprise inspection of the Pacific Fleet will begin on April 18

"From April 18, we will proceed to the final stage of verification, during which the ship's strike groups, together with coastal missile divisions, will work out the tasks of delivering missile strikes with electronic launches," the minister said.

According to him, the fleet forces will also conduct exercises to search for and destroy enemy submarines and ship groups, and carry out practical artillery firing at air and sea targets.

In addition, strategic missile carriers will fly to the central part of the Pacific Ocean with an imitation of strikes against the ship groups of a conditional enemy.

Upon completion of the inspection, the forces of the fleet will return to the points of permanent deployment, Shoigu said.

The minister said that more than 25 thousand military personnel, 167 warships and support vessels, including 12 submarines, 89 aircraft and helicopters, were involved in the inspection.

According to Shoigu, those participating in the force test have been put on full alert, they have begun to carry out combat training missions. Test firing and tactical exercises are carried out with them, issues of interspecific interaction are being worked out, the head of the defense department added.

"The anti-submarine forces on duty searched for submarines on the approaches to Peter the Great Bay and Avacha Bay. Naval aviation of the Pacific Fleet is dispersed at operational airfields. The aircraft of the long-range aviation command have been relocated to advanced airfields, "Shoigu said.

The minister continued, saying that the second stage of the surprise inspection is currently underway. Thus, the formed grouping in the far sea zone is carrying out the transition to the southern part of the Sea of Okhotsk with the tasks of combat maneuvering and opening the underwater situation.

"The issues of ensuring the combat stability of strategic missile submarines and their readiness to use weapons have been worked out. A tactical air defense exercise has begun," the head of the defense department said.

He added that naval aircraft are involved in designating the enemy.