Pacific Fleet Conducts Large-Scale Naval Drills Under July Storm Initiative

Russia’s Pacific Fleet has begun a series of naval drills aimed at evaluating its capacity to safeguard vital maritime infrastructure, as reported by Interfax on Thursday, referencing the fleet’s press office.

The exercises commenced this week in the Far Eastern regions of Primorye and Kamchatka and involved collaborative operations with the Federal Security Service (FSB) and border patrol units, according to the fleet’s press release.

These drills are part of a broader training program known as “July Storm,” designed to enhance combat preparedness in “unconventional” situations.

Naval patrol vessels operating near Vladivostok practiced their response to simulated assaults by unmanned surface vehicles and aerial drones.

Mock enemy drones approached the Russky Bridge, which triggered a reaction from Mi-8 and Ka-27PS helicopters equipped with anti-terrorism units.

The Russian forces reportedly eliminated the threat with small arms fire and strike drones that were deployed from a warship, the fleet confirmed.

During a different segment of the exercise, the corvette Gremyashchy fired an anti-submarine missile at a submerged training target in the Pacific Ocean, as stated by the Defense Ministry.

The July Storm exercises, scheduled to continue until July 27, encompass various Russian naval theaters, including the Pacific, Arctic, Baltic, and Caspian regions.

According to the Defense Ministry, the operation involves more than 150 warships and support vessels, 120 aircraft, 10 coastal missile systems, nearly 1,000 pieces of military equipment, and over 15,000 personnel from all four primary fleets.

Officials indicated that the training will evaluate the Navy’s capability to coordinate long-range precision strikes, deploy unmanned systems, and integrate advanced weaponry across different domains.