Russian military and naval officials announced on Friday its warships held extensive anti-submarine warfare drills in the Mediterranean. The Russian Black Sea Fleet’s frigates Admiral Makarov and Admiral Essen carried out the exercise near Syrian coastal waters. The test of the country’s military strength comes as tensions between Russia and the US escalate, with both superstates seeking to exert influence in the Middle East.
Russia has accused the US of building up its own forces in the Middle East in preparation for a possible strike on Syrian government forces.
The prospect of Putin’s military forces and Trump’s troops coming head to head has long been feared as the Cold War adversaries take opposing sides in Syria’s seven-year civil war.
According to Russian news agency TASS the Russian Navy deployed sub-killers armed with cruise missiles as part of the drill.
The frigates were armed with eight launchers of Kalibr-NK cruise missiles which are capable of striking targets at a distance of up to 2,600km.
The warships are also armed with Shtil-1, Palash and AK-630M air defence missile and artillery systems, torpedo tubes, A-190 100mm universal artillery guns, and RBU-6000 rocket launchers.
The frigates also have a take-off and landing strip.
There is also a hangar for an anti-submarine warfare helicopter (Ka-27 or Ka-31).
The Russian Navy has maintained its presence in the Mediterranean over the past few years.
Russia’s military began building up its forces last summer ahead of a planned assault on Idlib, a city in northwestern Syria.
The Izvestia newspaper said in August Russia had gathered its largest naval group in the Mediterranean Sea since 2015.
This included 10 vessels, most of them armed with long-range Kalibr cruise missiles.
More forces were deployed after Israel attacked Syrian government facilities in mid-September, which resulted in the downing of a Russian spy plane with 15 crew members on board.
Russia’s response was to quickly transfer S-300 anti-aircraft missile systems to the Syrian government.