Russia marks Naval Day with 'July Storm' drills, Ukrainian drone attacks

Moscow, Jul 27 (PTI) Russian President Vladimir on Sunday said it is more prudent to have war games and not the naval parades as he lauded the Russian Navy, underlining its "enormous role" in defending the country's interests, sovereignty and security.

Putin was speaking at St Petersburg – home to Russia's naval headquarters Admiralty – to mark Russia's Navy Day.

The day was marked with the culmination of 'July Storm' wargames in the seas and oceans instead of customary naval parades.

The main naval parade at St Petersburg was cancelled “due to security issues, which are paramount,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

The 'July Storm' wargames were held amid massive Ukrainian drone attacks on Russia's towns and cities, including the St Petersburg, and closure of local Pulkovo International Airport, which diverted or rescheduled over 100 flights.

Addressing the naval personnel, President Putin said that in the “current situation”, referring to Moscow’s Special Military Operation in Ukraine and NATO’s backing of its Ukrainian proxy, it is more prudent to have war games and not the naval parades.

“The Russian Navy plays an enormous role in defending Russia’s interests, sovereignty and security, which is a key task,” he said.

“Our key task is to reliably ensure Russia’s security, and to defend its sovereignty and national interests. An enormous role is assigned to the Navy,” Putin was quoted by official news agency TASS.

He also announced that shortly, five Marine Corps brigades will be transformed into divisions, with two of them already this year. As a result, the Navy’s strike power and combat capabilities will increase qualitatively.

The Russian Defence Ministry in a statement said that the “exercise” involved over 15,000 naval personnel, more than 150 warships and vessels, 120 aircraft, 950 items of military and special hardware and 10 coastal defence missile systems.

According to local authorities, “dozens of drones” were shot down without causing damage, except one which set ablaze private homes as a result of falling debris in one of the suburbs of St Petersburg. PTI VS NPK ZH NPK NPK