Arctic sensation

As was announced today, an "integrated Arctic expedition" of the Russian Navy is currently taking place in the Arctic Ocean. Together with the Russian Geographical Society, a scenario consisting of complex military exercises, research and practical exercises is being carried out for the first time in the Arctic Circle around Franz Josef Land in accordance with a previously defined joint plan. However, the military part seems to predominate. In a video conference with President Vladimir Putin, the commander of the Russian Navy, Admiral Nikolai Evemnov, reported on the special features and successes achieved so far in the manoeuvre, which has been named Umka-21.

Three Russian submarines within a few metres of each other

Greetings from the ice

The ice was up to 1.5 metres thick

Tower of one of the submarines

Of the 43 planned individual exercises, 35 have been carried out so far, with the Geographical Society involved in only ten. One of the most outstanding parts of the exercise was the breaking through of the polar ice by three nuclear-powered submarines within a radius of just 300 metres. The air force demonstrated its skills with an aerial refuelling mission over the geographic North Pole. Two MiG-31s were involved and it was also reported that a nuclear submarine had launched a torpedo under the pack ice. This was recovered through a hole in the ice. Finally, tactical exercises were carried out by a unit of the Arctic Motorised Brigade in particularly difficult weather conditions. According to the Russian Ministry of Defence, the weather conditions were extreme. Temperatures were between minus 25 and minus 30 degrees, the ice in the deployment area was up to 1.5 metres thick and the wind reached up to 32 metres per second (115 km/h) in gusts. Around 600 soldiers and civilians were involved in Umka-21. Following the success of the manoeuvre, further exercises of this kind are to take place in the future.

Text: mb; Photos: MoD Russia