The Russian Navy conducted military exercises in the Baltic Sea, practicing unguided missile launches, bombing flights and missile strikes, amid large-scale US and NATO exercises in the region, the Russian news agency Interfrax reported, quoted by BTA.
The exercises included "preparation of equipment for takeoff, withdrawal of aircraft from the fire of the nominal enemy and repositioning of airfields", a Russian Navy press release said.
More than 10 aircraft and two small missile ships took part in the exercise, which took place on June 8 and 9.
NATO naval exercises in the Baltic Sea Baltic Operations (BALTOPS) began on June 4 and will continue until June 20, with a total of 20 vessels from 15 countries and about 6,000 servicemen participating in the maneuvers. These are the largest military exercises in the Baltic Sea this year, Reuters notes.
The Russian exclave of Kaliningrad is located on the Baltic coast between NATO members Lithuania and Poland and serves as the headquarters of the Russian Baltic Fleet. About 1 million people live in the heavily militarized region.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said in late May that his country has all the necessary means to destroy any force that tries to attack Kaliningrad. Earlier, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kestutis Budris said that NATO must show Moscow that it is capable of penetrating the exclave.