Russia has claimed that its military conducted a Northern Sea route protection exercise featuring missile launches.

The images purport to show a Russian warship and submarine taking part in the military exercise, along with mobile missile launchers.

The video shows a missile being fired from the Russian warship before a second missile is seen being fired from one of the mobile launchers.

The footage was obtained from the Russian Ministry of Defence on Monday, September 18, along with a statement claiming: 'In the northeast of Russia, under the command of the Commander-in-Chief of the Navy, a tactical exercise is taking place for the defence of the Northern Sea Route.

'In the waters of the Chukotka and Bering Seas, as well as on the Chukotka Peninsula, tactical exercises of the Pacific Fleet forces (troops) continue under the name 'Finval-2023' for the protection of communications along the Northern Sea Route. The exercise is conducted under the leadership of Admiral Nikolai Evmenov, the Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Navy.

'The first episode of the exercise involved conducting combat exercises to defeat a group of ships in the northeastern part of the Bering Sea. Missile strikes were carried out by the crews of the Guard missile cruiser 'Varyag', the nuclear-powered underwater missile cruiser 'Tomsk', and the coastal missile complex 'Bastion'.

'Firing with cruise missiles such as 'Vulkan', 'Granit', and 'Oniks' from their respective naval and coastal launch platforms was conducted against a complex target position, simulating a group of ships of a hypothetical enemy in the Bering Sea. According to objective control data, all missiles successfully hit their designated targets hundreds of kilometers away from the launch points.

'Approximately 10,000 military personnel and over 50 units of combat equipment are involved in the tactical exercise, including surface ships and support vessels, submarines, aircraft, and helicopters of the naval aviation, coastal missile complexes 'Bal' and 'Bastion', as well as highly mobile wheeled and tracked armored vehicles.

'During the manoeuvres, a series of complex missile and artillery firings continue, and training is conducted in anti-air, anti-submarine, and anti-landing defense, as well as Arctic off-road vehicle marches.'

'All episodes of the exercise are defensive in nature and are intended to enhance the readiness of forces and troops for actions on the northeastern frontiers of Russia.'


Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022, in what the Kremlin is still calling a 'special military operation.'