Russia’s military announced on Wednesday that it had begun naval exercises in the Arabian Sea with China and Iran, two of Moscow’s partners united by their opposition to the West, AFP writes.

The Russian frigate “Amiral Gorshkov” is equipped with a hypersonic missile “Zirkon”.Photo: Pavlo Lviv / Sputnik / Profimedia

“Today, in the waters of the Oman Sea (Arabian Sea), near the Iranian port of Chabahar, trilateral naval exercises began (…) with the participation of the Russian Navy, the Chinese Navy and the Iranian Navy,” the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported. reported in Telegram.

Russia sent a detachment of its Northern Fleet, including the frigate “Admiral Gorshkov” and an oil tanker, for these military maneuvers. China will have at its disposal the destroyer Nanjing, and Iran – the frigates Sahand and Jamaran, as well as the corvette Bayandor.

According to Moscow, their goal is to conduct “joint maneuvers and artillery fire day and night”, practice “freeing a captured ship” and practice “helping ships in danger”.

Russia has held several military exercises with its partners since the start of its military offensive in Ukraine, launched more than a year ago.

In addition to maneuvers with its ally Belarus, Moscow took part in naval exercises with China and South Africa in February. Russia also held naval exercises with Beijing in December and air exercises in November.

Moscow and Beijing present themselves as a geopolitical counterweight to the US and its allies. Iran, for its part, is accused of supplying Russia with weapons and ammunition for an attack on Ukraine, including explosive drones.

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