Warships drill attack on Arctic archipelago

The flotilla, which set out from Severomorsk on the Kola Peninsula in early September, conducted training with forces in Kotelny, a military base on the east Arctic archipelago.

The warships, led by the ice-class patrol vessel Ivan Papanin, played the role of an adversary aiming to take control of the islands, the Northern Fleet reported.

The forces in Kotelny defended themselves with their Bastion coastal defence missile system.

During the exercises, the Bastion system crews were deployed along the coast, where they conducted a simulated strike against a formation of ships, carrying out missile launches via computer simulation, the Navy reports. The crews of the coastal missile systems then carried out a reloading exercise, transferring missiles from a loading vehicle to the launcher.

In addition to the Ivan Papanin, the flotilla involved in the drills included the large landing ship Kondopoga, the tanker Sergey Osipov, and the rescue tug Pamir.

The drills were headed by Oleg Golubyev, a vice-admiral and deputy commander of the Northern Fleet.

This is not the first time that warships have sailed from Severomorsk on the Kola Peninsula to the east Arctic archipelago to train with forces in Kotelny.

Over the past decade, the Northern Fleet has sent a group of warships along the eastern part of the Northern Sea Route every autumn. This year, the expedition is reportedly focusing on maritime safety along the Northern Sea Route.

The military base in Kotelny in the New Siberian Islands was opened in late 2015. It includes an upgraded airfield and a 12,000-square-metre building complex. The trefoil-shaped Severny Klever reportedly has housing and administration facilities for more than 250 people.

In 2018, the forces on Kotelny showcased the Bastion air defence system, which had recently been deployed on the archipelago.