Meeting with Defense Minister Shoygu: Putin Briefed on Pacific Fleet Exercises

Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced that Russia may use its naval forces in any conflict. The statement was made during a meeting with Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu.

According to Putin's decision, a surprise inspection of the Pacific Fleet has been carried out since April 14. More than 25,000 military personnel, 167 combat ships and support vessels, including 12 submarines, 89 aircraft and helicopters, have been involved in the inspection.

The forces and troops participating in the inspection have been brought to full combat readiness and have begun to perform combat training tasks with established restrictions. Control firing and tactical exercises are being conducted, and issues of inter-service interaction are being worked out.

Anti-submarine forces have conducted a search for submarines approaching Peter the Great Bay and Avacha Bay. The Pacific Fleet's naval aviation is deployed to operational airfields, while long-range aviation command aircraft have been redeployed to advanced airfields.

Currently, the second stage of the surprise inspection is being carried out. A formed group in the far sea zone is making a transition to the southern part of the Sea of Okhotsk, with tasks of combat maneuvering and uncovering the underwater situation.

Putin's statement highlights Russia's continued military readiness and potential involvement in any future conflicts. The surprise inspection of the Pacific Fleet serves as a reminder of Russia's military capabilities and its willingness to use them if necessary.

The questions regarding the combat readiness of strategic missile submarines and their readiness to use weapons have been addressed. Tactical exercises on air defense have been initiated, involving the deployment of naval aviation aircraft to simulate enemy forces. Starting from April 18, the final stage of verification will commence, during which naval strike groups will work in conjunction with coastal missile divisions to perform missile strikes with electronic launches. The fleet will conduct exercises on the detection and destruction of enemy submarines and naval groups, as well as practice artillery firing on air and sea targets. Strategic missile carriers will fly to the central part of the Pacific Ocean to simulate strikes against enemy naval groups.

Upon completion of the verification, the fleet will return to its permanent bases.

V. Putin: Sergei Kuzhugetovich, it is clear to us that we have priorities in the use of the Armed Forces, primarily concerning the Ukrainian direction and everything related to the protection of our people in Donbass and other new territories.

But the tasks of developing the fleet, including in the Pacific theater, have not been canceled or withdrawn, and therefore I ask you to continue this work and also pay attention to the development and preparation of similar events in other fleets.

Moreover, of course, the fleet's forces, in some of its components, can certainly be used in conflicts in any direction. Therefore, I also ask you to keep this in mind. The Ministry of Defense as a whole and the General Staff are working on this, I know.

And the first stage of the sudden verification was indeed carried out at a very high level. I want to express my gratitude to everyone who organized this work.

S. Shoigu: Thank you, Vladimir Vladimirovich, I will pass on your message.