{"id":16747,"date":"2020-08-30T17:31:22","date_gmt":"2020-08-30T17:31:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/uncategorized\/2020\/08\/30\/russian-navy-conducts-major-maneuvers-near-alaska\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T05:24:11","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T05:24:11","slug":"russian-navy-conducts-major-maneuvers-near-alaska","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/flashpoints\/2020\/08\/30\/russian-navy-conducts-major-maneuvers-near-alaska\/","title":{"rendered":"Russian navy conducts major maneuvers near Alaska"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

MOSCOW \u2014 The Russian navy conducted major war games near Alaska involving dozens of ships and aircraft, the military said Friday, the biggest such drills in the area since Soviet times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Russia\u2019s navy chief, Adm. Nikolai Yevmenov, said that more than 50 warships and about 40 aircraft were taking part in the exercise in the Bering Sea, which involved multiple practice missile launches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe are holding such massive drills there for the first time ever,\u201d Yevmenov said in a statement released by the Russian Defense Ministry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It wasn\u2019t immediately clear when the exercises began or if they had finished.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yevmenov emphasized that the war games are part of Russia\u2019s efforts to boost its presence in the Arctic region and protect its resources.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe are building up our forces to ensure the economic development of the region,\u201d he said. \u201cWe are getting used to the Arctic spaces.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"In
In this undated video grab provided by Russian Defense Ministry Press Service, Russian warships take part in maneuvers in the Bering Sea. The Russian navy has conducted massive war games near Alaska involving dozens of ships and aircraft, the biggest such drills in the area since Soviet times. (Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Russian military has rebuilt and expanded numerous facilities across the polar region in recent years, revamping runways and deploying additional air defense assets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Russia has prioritized boosting its military presence in the Arctic region, which is believed to hold up to one-quarter of the Earth\u2019s undiscovered oil and gas. Russian President Vladimir Putin has cited estimates that put the value of Arctic mineral riches at $30 trillion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Russia\u2019s Pacific Fleet, whose assets were taking part in the maneuvers, said the Omsk nuclear submarine and the Varyag missile cruiser launched cruise missiles at a practice target in the Bering Sea as part of the exercise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The maneuvers also saw Onyx cruise missiles being fired at a practice target in the Gulf of Anadyr from the coast of the Chukchi Peninsula, it added.<\/p>\n\n\n\t