Russian Northern Fleet Arctic group put to sea in the Arctic Ocean.

The 8th annual cruise of the Northern Fleet’s Arctic group in the Arctic Ocean has started under command of Vice-Admiral Oleg Golubev, Kola mixed forces flotilla commander, the Northern Fleet press service reports. "The ships and support vessels left their home ports in Severomorsk and Murmansk, went through the Kola Bay and made a cruise formation on the Barents Sea," the Fleet reports.

Vice-Admiral Kulakov destroyer (Picture source: Wikipedia)

The Fleet press service added that taking part in the cruise are large anti-submarine ship Vice-Admiral Kulakov, large landing ships Alexander Otrakovsky and Kondopoga, salvage towing vessel Pamir, tanker Sergey Osipov and icebreaker Ilya Muromets. Before putting to sea the ships received marines’ and Arctic motor rifle brigade’s equipment. In addition, a few days before the cruise the crews practiced joint operations at the Barents Sea. "We have exercised communication techniques and trained in logistic support and rescue of a vessel in distress. In addition, the crews practiced in anti-air, anti-submarine and anti-saboteur operations during the voyage and unprotected anchorage," the Fleet source specified.

According to the plan, the cruise will last two months, proceeding mostly at the Barents and the Kara Sea, near the Taimyr Peninsula, Northern and New Zemlya and the Frantz Josef Archipelagos.

Also, the sailors will participate in several landings of marines on unprepared coasts in the Arctic, train in defense of an essential industrial facility, practice in anti-submarine operations and conduct missile and artillery firing.