The ships Admiral Levchenko and Alexander Otrakovsky from the Northern Fleet’s Arctic group and a tactical unit on Kotelny Island, part of the New Siberian Islands archipelago in the Laptev Sea, conducted an exercise and practiced defensive operations in the Arctic zone.

“Crews of the anti-submarine warfare ship Admiral Levchenko and the amphibious landing ship Alexander Otrakovsky from the Northern Fleet’s Arctic group and the personnel of a tactical unit on Kotelny Island practiced joint defensive operations in the Arctic zone,” the fleet’s press service said.

During the exercise, the Northern Fleet’s sailors unloaded military equipment on the island’s unprepared shoreline and deployed Bastion coastal defense missile launchers against naval targets. The ships conducted tactical operations to defend Arctic shipping lanes.

According to the press service, the ships from the Northern Fleet’s Arctic group are replenishing their stores in Temp Bay near Kotelny Island in the Laptev Sea. After that, the anti-submarine warfare ship Admiral Levchenko and the amphibious landing ship Alexander Otrakovsky, as well as the sea-going tanker Sergei Osipov, will continue to operate on the Northern Sea Route.

The Northern Fleet’s surface ships set sail on August 10 from Severomorsk, the main fleet base. During their voyage, the fleet’s warships and supply ships have already sailed about 6,000 nautical miles. Apart from the above-mentioned three ships, the fleet’s Arctic group includes the rescue tug Pamir.