{"id":17428,"date":"2022-01-20T21:15:12","date_gmt":"2022-01-20T21:15:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/uncategorized\/2022\/01\/20\/russia-announces-sweeping-naval-drills-amid-ukraine-tensions\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T05:43:22","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T05:43:22","slug":"russia-announces-sweeping-naval-drills-amid-ukraine-tensions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/flashpoints\/2022\/01\/20\/russia-announces-sweeping-naval-drills-amid-ukraine-tensions\/","title":{"rendered":"Russia announces sweeping naval drills amid Ukraine tensions"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

MOSCOW \u2014 Russia on Thursday announced sweeping naval drills in several parts of the world this month, and claimed the West is plotting \u201cprovocations\u201d in neighboring Ukraine<\/a> where the Kremlin has been accused of planning aggressive military action.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Amid a buildup of an estimated 100,000 Russian troops near the border with Ukraine<\/a> and massive joint war games with Belarus<\/a>, the Defense Ministry said it will also conduct maneuvers involving the bulk of Russia\u2019s naval potential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe drills are intended to practice navy and air force action to protect Russian national interests in the world\u2019s oceans and to counter military threats to the Russian Federation,\u201d the ministry said, adding that they will start this month and run through February.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A Russian air force pilot walks to aSu-30 fighter jet before a training mission in Krasnodar Region, Russia, Wednesday, Jan. 19, 2022. (Vitaliy Timkiv\/AP)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

It said the exercise will involve over 140 warships and more than 60 aircraft, and will be conducted in both littoral waters and more distant \u201coperationally important\u201d areas including the Mediterranean, northeastern Atlantic and the Pacific Ocean.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ministry said several Russian warships are currently taking part in a joint exercise with China and Iran in the Gulf of Oman that began Tuesday and will last until the weekend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

U.S. President Joe Biden said <\/a>Wednesday he thinks Russia will invade Ukraine and warned President Vladimir Putin that his country would pay a \u201cdear price\u201d in lives lost and a possible cutoff from the global banking system if it does.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moscow has repeatedly denied having plans to launch an offensive. But it has sought a set of security guarantees from the West that would exclude NATO\u2019s expansion to Ukraine and other ex-Soviet nations and the deployment of alliance weapons there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Washington and its allies firmly rejected Moscow\u2019s demands in security talks last week but kept the door open to possible further talks on arms control and confidence-building measures to reduce the potential for hostilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\t