Navy to Perform 200 Combat Exercises

The Ukrainian Navy under the command of Real Admiral Ihor Kniaz has started mustering its divisions, vessels, and support units for a practice campaign aimed at improving naval, ground, and air warfare skills of the Navy. This involves thirty ships, vessels, and units, along with four planes of Ukraine’s Air Force. As Interfax-Ukraine learned from the Navy Press Center, during the first phase the forces involved in the campaign will practice the fundamentals of combat training, that is, operations planning and preparing vessels for naval operations and combat exercises. During the second phase, the fleet will be deployed to practice, among other things, defense of vessels in an unprotected sea lane. During the active phase of the naval campaign, the fleet will perform naval missions. It is planned that the Ukrainian Navy will perform over 200 combat exercises, including 100 artillery exercises. According to Vadym Makhno, chief of the Department of Specialists in Combat Operations Involving Artillery at the Department of Military Training of the General Command of the Navy, during this campaign the Navy will perform its thousandth artillery exercise in past five years.