Russian, Chinese ships perform elements of nighttime maneuvering

MOSCOW, May 19. /TASS/. Russian and Chinese combat ships have performed elements of nighttime maneuvering in the Mediterranean as part of an active phase of the Morskoye Vzaimodeistviye 2015 (Naval Cooperation 2015) exercise, the official spokesman of the Russian Defence Ministry’s press service for the Navy, Igor Dygalo told TASS. "On the night from May 18 to May 19 […] the united Russian-Chinese naval grouping that includes the missile-carrying cruiser Moskva, the frigate Ladnyi, the big amphibious ships Alexander Shabalin and Alexander Otrakovsky, the missile-carrying aircushion ship Samum, the big amphibious ship Alexander Shabalin, the sea towboat MB-31, the frigates Lin Yi and Wei Fang, and the cargo delivery ship Wei Shanhu successfully performed the tasks of joint maneuvering in formations," Dygalo said. The Russian-Chinese grouping was split into four tactical groups of ships and they had a drill in various techniques of relaying signals and realigning the formation. Simultaneously, the crews did constant analysis of the situation on the surface of the sea and in the air. Commands to the Russian and Chinese ships were issued by Captain 1st Rank Alexander Okun. On May 19, the grouping is expected to drill replenishment of supplies on high seas while on the move and the convoying of naval and commercial ships. Results of this phase of the exercise will be reported by way of videoconferencing and by special telecommunications channels to the supervisors on both sides - the Deputy Chief Commander of the Russian Navy, Vice Admiral Alexander Fedotenkov, the Deputy Chief Commander of the Chinese Naval Forces, Vice Admiral Du Jingchen, and the joint staff of the exercise. Read more