The Russian Baltic Fleet’s corvette Stoikiy conducted a bilateral passing exercise (PASSEX) with Iranian Navy ships in the Gulf of Oman on Tuesday, according to Russia’s state news agency TASS.
The activity came after an unofficial port visit by the Russian vessel to the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas.
The Russian Steregushchiy-class corvette “Stoikiy” has arrived in the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas in the Strait of Hormuz ahead of upcoming naval exercises later this week with the Iranian Navy and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in the Gulf of Oman. pic.twitter.com/azwsBg40mr
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) February 18, 2026
Russia’s defense ministry published footage of the corvette Stoikiy docking at Bandar Abbas, ahead of joint drills with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in the Gulf of Oman. pic.twitter.com/6ggEtwHPqi
— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) February 18, 2026
The exercise took place near the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for global energy shipments in the Middle East, where U.S. forces were recently deployed amid rising tensions with Iran. On Tuesday, the UK Defence Journal reported that the “largest U.S build up” since the Gulf War is happening now near Iran.
According to TASS, Stoikiy trained alongside the Iranian frigate Alvand, missile craft Neyze, and corvette Shahid Sayyad Shirazi. The drill focused on coordinated maneuvers, navigational safety, and maritime traffic deconfliction, including bridge-to-bridge communications, signaling, and formation sailing.
On Tuesday, the same day as the drills, footage emerged showing what was described as the first naval launch of a Sayyad-3F surface-to-air missile aboard the Iranian Navy’s Shahid Sayyad Shirazi.
Footage shows the Sayyad-3F surface-to-air missile being launched from the vertical launching system (VLS) aboard the IRGC Navy’s Shahid Sayyad Shirazi (FS313-03). https://t.co/XRWvdJ4Di8 pic.twitter.com/nK5cYdlHTm
— OSINTWarfare (@OSINTWarfare) February 17, 2026
“The primary goal of the PASSEX was to bolster naval cooperation between Russia and Iran,” TASS wrote.
The Stoikiy is a Project 20380 Steregushchiy-class corvette, commissioned in 2014 and assigned to Russia’s Baltic Fleet. The vessel is capable of anti-surface, anti-air, and anti-submarine warfare.
TASS did not disclose Stoikiy’s next destination but reported that the crew, which arrived at Bandar Abbas on February 14 to replenish fuel, water, and food, “continues its long-range voyage plans.”
