Russia on Wednesday launched its most extensive naval exercise in recent years, spanning the Pacific, Arctic, Baltic, and Caspian seas.
According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, the drills, dubbed “July Storm,” involve more than 15,000 personnel, 150 vessels, 120 aircraft, 10 coastal missile systems, and nearly 950 other military assets.
‘July Storm’ begins — Russia launches massive Navy drills across the Pacific, Arctic, Baltic & Caspian Seas
Over 150 warships, 120 aircraft & 15,000 troops test long-range strikes, anti-sub ops & drone warfare pic.twitter.com/vb2eQu4pLZ
— RT (@RT_com) July 23, 2025
Four Russian fleets: the Pacific, Northern, Baltic, and Caspian, participated in the drills under the command of Admiral Aleksandr Moiseyev, the newly appointed head of the Russian Navy. The Black Sea Fleet, however, remains docked in Novorossiysk, according to Kyiv Post.
The Defense Ministry said the exercise aims to evaluate fleet readiness for “non-standard operational tasks,” including the deployment of long-range precision weapons and unmanned systems.
“At sea, the crews of the ships will practice deployment to combat areas, conducting anti-submarine operations, defending areas of deployment and economic activity,” the ministry said.
They will also practice “repelling attacks by air attack weapons, unmanned boats and enemy drones, ensuring the safety of navigation, striking enemy targets and naval groups.”
As part of the drills, the corvette Gremyashchiy of the Pacific Fleet launched an anti-submarine missile at an underwater training target near Vladivostok, while helicopters conducted submarine-hunting exercises. Patrol boats also detected and responded to a simulated enemy threat at the entrance to the Eastern Bosphorus.
⚓️ Ilyusky Shtorm is underway
00:00 The corvette of the Pacific Fleet Gremyashchy launched an anti-submarine missile at an underwater training target in the Pacific Ocean.
00:20 At the entrance to the Eastern Bosphorus, near Vladivostok, patrol boats detected a mock enemy’s… pic.twitter.com/mFxEVnlhF6
— The world is patriots.🇺🇸🇷🇺 (@bertalanzoli) July 24, 2025
In the Caspian Sea, missile boats simulated strikes on targets 50 kilometers offshore. In the eastern Baltic, naval forces conducted surface target engagement drills and live-fire exercises. Meanwhile, in the Barents Sea, Northern Fleet warships responded to a simulated NATO airstrike on Severomorsk.
The naval exercises will run until July 27.
Russia maintains the world’s third-largest navy, behind the United States and China, though it has suffered significant losses since launching its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
