Russian troops hone landing skills near Norwegian border

Two helicopters fly over the landing command ship during the Russia’s Vostok-2018 (East-2018) military drills at Klerka training ground on the Sea of Japan coast, on September 15, 2018. Russian troops have taken part in a landing exercise in Pechenga Bay, in northwest Russia. (Mladen Antonov/AFP/Getty Images)
A big landing ship sails into the Pechenga Bay to pick up marine infantry from nearby garrisons.

The exercise started on Friday as troops and equipment was taken onboard landing ship Kondopoga. Included was armored personnel carriers BTR-82A, multi-purpose fully amphibious auxiliary armored vehicle MTLB-V and trucks type KAMAZ and Ural. The hardware was taken on board both from the shore and from offshore position, the Northern Fleet informs.

The training took place in the Pechenga Bay only about 15 kilometers from the border to Norway.

The Kondopoga has the capacity to carry up to ten tanks and 340 troops. The training included both loading and unloading of goods and personnel, the Navy says.

It has been a busy week for the troops serving in the Kola Peninsula, in northwest Russia. According to the Northern Fleet, more than 100 training exercises have been held offshore and in coastal bases since 1 June. In 57 of the cases, use of weapons was included. In the Barents Sea, three nuclear powered submarines shot torpedos on underwater and surface targets and several anti-submarine vessels engaged in firing of rocket-propelled depth bombs. Almost at the same time, Il-38 aircraft and Ka-27 helicopters applied anti-submarine weapons in the area.

Related stories from around the North:

Canada: New Canadian navy ships to be affiliated with Inuit communities, CBC News

Finland: Swedish soldiers take part in Finnish naval exercise, Yle News

Norway: Norway rearming in Arctic to face new security landscape, The Independent Barents Observer

Russia: Russia’s Northern Fleet holds exercise in Barents Sea, The Independent Barents Observer

Sweden: Over 100 aircraft take part in multinational exercise in Arctic Europe, Radio Sweden

United States: U.S. fighter jets intercept Russian warplanes off Alaska, Radio Canada International

Atle Staalesen, The Independent Barents Observer

For more news from the Barents region visit The Independent Barents Observer.

Do you want to report an error or a typo? Click here!

Leave a Reply

Note: By submitting your comments, you acknowledge that Radio Canada International has the right to reproduce, broadcast and publicize those comments or any part thereof in any manner whatsoever. Radio Canada International does not endorse any of the views posted. Your comments will be pre-moderated and published if they meet netiquette guidelines.
Netiquette »

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *