Russia's Pacific Fleet gets ready for an exercise

Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Navy, Admiral Vladimir Kuroyedov, is checking the Pacific Fleet's readiness for an upcoming large-scale military exercise.

According to a source in the fleet's headquarters, the admiral will pay visits to the Vladivostok-based division of high-speed rocket-powered battleships, a marines' division, and surface ships and submarines of the Primorye Flotilla. After that, he will move on to Kamchatka.

The exercise in question is scheduled for August 18-25. To be staged in the Russian Far East, it will involve the Navy, land troops, and the Air Force. The objective is to drill combating sea poaching, smuggling of fish abroad, drug trafficking, terrorism, and oil leakage.

Officials from the US, Canada, Japan, North Korea and South Korea will be present as observers.