Russian, Syrian Naval Forces Held Joint Tactical Exercise At Tartus Port (Photos)

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Russian and Syrian forces have held a joint tactical exercise at the Syrian port of Tartus, which hosts a base of the Russian Navy, the Syrian Arab News Agency announced on October 13.

A military source told the state-run agency that the exercise, which went on for several days, mimicked attacks on the vital port.

During the exercise, Russian and Syrian troops repelled an attack by terrorist groups on the port’s military facilities, defended against enemy’s divers and saboteurs, used air defense systems to repel an aerial attack and foiled an attempt by the enemy to land troops at the port.

Both sides also redeployed their warships and military equipment in a scenario simulating a large-scale attack by the enemy on Tartus port.

More than 400 troops from the Russian military grouping in Syria and the navy’s Black Sea Fleet took part in the exercise, in addition to troops from the Syrian Arab Army. Five Russian warships and two Su-35 fighter jets, who mimicked hostile cruise missiles, also participated along with 25 other military systems.

This was not the first such exercise. Last year, Russian and Syrian conducted a series of counter-terrorism and sabotage drills at Tartus port.

Russian bases Syria, including the Naval Base in Tartus, came under attack on several occasions in the last few years. The threats of sabotage and terrorist attacks increased dramatically after the start of the Russian special military operation in Ukraine.

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