Russia and China Hold Naval Drills, Practice Submarine Capture

Russia and China Hold Naval Drills, Practice Submarine Capture
The Chinese destroyer Jinan takes part in joint naval drills with Russia in the East China Sea on Dec. 22, 2022. Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP
Reuters
Updated:

MOSCOW—Russia and China have completed naval drills in the East China Sea, after a week of joint exercises which included practicing how to capture an enemy submarine with depth charges and firing artillery at a warship, Russia’s defense ministry said.

The Dec. 21–27 exercises, entitled “Maritime Interaction-2022”, included Russia’s Pacific Fleet and were carried out in waters off Zhoushan and Taizhou in China’s Zhejiang Province, the Chinese regime’s state-run Xinhua news agency said.

“Detachments of warships of the Pacific Fleet and the Naval Forces of the People’s Liberation Army of China have completed practical tasks within the framework of the bilateral naval exercise,” Russia’s defense ministry said.

The ministry published video showing a group of Russian and Chinese warships in the East China Sea, with Russian sailors speaking in Mandarin to their Chinese counterparts and Russian ships firing missiles.

Chinese leader Xi Jinping is due to speak to President Vladimir Putin before the end of the year, TASS news agency said.