Russian navy ships depart for joint exercise with China

VLADIVOSTOK - Russian navy ships left here Wednesday for Shanghai to take part in a joint naval drill with the Chinese navy.

Six ships from the Russian Pacific Fleet would take part in the "Joint Sea-2014" drill in the northern part of the East China Sea, local media reported.

The ships include guided missile cruiser Varyag, large anti-submarine ship Admiral Panteleyev, large amphibious ship Admiral Nevelskoy, anti-surface destroyer Bystry, tanker Ilim and tugboat Kalar.

The drill is aimed at strengthening mutual trust and cooperation between the two countries' military forces, and boosting their capacity to jointly deal with maritime security threats, the report said.

A total of 14 vessels, two submarines, nine fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters and special forces from both countries will take part in the exercise, a Chinese navy spokesman said in Beijing on Tuesday.

This will be the third such exercise after joint drills off the coast of Russia's Far East in July 2013 and the Yellow Sea in April 2012.